


4100

by ephemeralem0tions



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, F/M, Mystery, NSFW, Revenge, Search, Secrets
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2018-12-09 19:20:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 59,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11675436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ephemeralem0tions/pseuds/ephemeralem0tions
Summary: “Welcome to the new age! It is the year 4100 and we are delighted to present to you your partner in solving crime”Levi never really hoped for a clumsy robot to help him with the mysteries of his past, but instead he got one, which insisted she must be called a Bionic. She was eccentric, rude, filthy, everything he didn’t desire, but she is something more than he thought she would be. Soon enough, he realizes there is more to ‘Abby’ than it meets the eye.





	1. Hi I'm Abby!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Welcome to the new age! It is the year 4100 and we are delighted to present to you your partner in solving crime”
> 
> Levi never really hoped for a clumsy robot to help him with the mysteries of his past, but instead he got one, which insisted she must be called a Bionic. She was eccentric, rude, filthy, everything he didn’t desire, but she is something more than he thought she would be. Soon enough, he realizes there is more to ‘Abby’ than it meets the eye.

##  PROLOGUE 

**-Levi-**

Several few screams erupted during the night, disrupting the peace, and sleep of the two young boys of eight in the room. One in particular, never got any ounce of sleep like any other night, ever since he was an abandoned orphan. Tonight was no difference to his restlessness, yet his senses were more anxious than they were due to the noise. One voice in particular, triggering them.

He looked at his blonde roommate in the eyes, a look of curiosity, fear and worry that mirrored his were evident in the boy’s pale grey eyes. 

“Let me go!” The voice screamed again, although faintly muffled by the wooden walls. 

The two shot up from the comfort of their beds, not minding where the sheets flung despite prioritizing cleanliness and neatness during early mornings. The girl whom they’ve treated as their sister was in distress, and they would certainly put everything aside for her.

His frail hands made their way to the wooden door, pushing him off to the floor along with a loud thud. He used force for the second time around, charging and letting the side of his arms hit the hard material. To no avail, it still would not open. 

“Stay in there” The Pastor growled, making his eyebrows come together even closer. The old man was holding the door off, he was sure of it, but the reason to why he did, he did not know.

He tried again, pushing with all the strength a small young boy could muster. His hands were starting to get red and splintered, the door budging for some small split seconds, then closing back again due to the weight on the other side. 

“Help me! Levi! Farlan!” her screams became louder, more desperate, as if she was getting hurt. That fueled the anger and strength in him, and as well as Farlan’s. 

The two of them backed away a good few meters, before lunging and putting their full force on the wood, which sent them down crashing to the hall, beside the Pastor who now laid on the ground, in pain.

They wasted no time, hurrying up to the other side of the quarters, and seeing a group of men forcibly hurling the little girls out of their rooms, one of them, happened to be Isabel. She was taken by one of the goons via her pigtail, large hands griping her hair as she thrashed to be set free.

“Let me go! Please it hurts!” she pleaded, but they would not let her go.

He’d already had his last straw when they touched her hair. It was one part of her that he liked the most, due to the naturally unique color and the softness of them when he styled it. He handled her precious locks with care, and he was certainly not letting another man ruin it.

With gritted teeth, he ran towards her, giving the buff man the strongest kick he could towards the gut. He earned a growl, yet the grip on Isabel’s hair never faltered. He was shoved towards the side, a sudden pang of pain hitting his rib. Farlan tried next, grabbing the man’s torso and pulling it back as hard as he could. But the man, weighing more than the two of the young boys combined, wiggled and thrashed, till his frail body was dragged side to side.

“Please! Stop this!” Isabel cried again, nails digging unto the man’s hand and tears flowing from her eyes.

“Let her go!” Farlan grunted, making his legs stiff so they would hold him on spot.

“You lot are really stubborn aye?!” The man sneered, looking at the children around him with a sharp glare, which Levi returned. 

He wanted to stand up, but the pain he felt made him clutch his side helplessly on the wooden floor. It honestly made him feel pathetic. But if only the Pastor of the orphanage had set up the budget to feed them better, then all the kids who resided in the abode would have been stronger, well built and not malnourished. Instead, the claimed ‘holy man’ spent his money fattening up himself with beer and different ladies. He hated the place, but it was enough, as it gave shelter over their heads, a bed to sleep in, and at least scraps to fill their hunger.

“You put her down you big fat ugly goon!” Farlan hollered again, clearly loosing patience every second that ticked by.

The big bafoon made a distasteful look, one that sent chills down to the children’s spine. Levi knew it was not a good sign, and he was damn right about it

He stood up and ran way to late. Farlan’s body had already flung down the stairs, rolling and bleeding till he went to a full stop bellow. He heaved his body and tried to ignore his aching limbs as best as he could. He almost tripped himself on the way down but managed to get a hold on the rails. He crouched down and held his brother’s hand as soon as he hit the floor. A few splinters and scars scattered around Farlan’s body, but the most prominent bleeding of all, were the ones that escaped his lips, and the ones that pooled behind his head, tainting his blonde hair a dark, scary shade of red.

The mess started to spread right at his fingertips, but he only stared at it wide eyed and in shock. His throat went dry and hearing partially on beep as the chaos worsened around him. He silently wished that it was all a dream and he would wake up to early mornings where Isabel would jump on his bed to wake him up. But instead, he got Farlan’s rough coughs and Isabel’s loud screeching cries as he was brought back to reality.

He was not able to do anything but to give a sorrowful look to his sister as she was taken away on another man’s shoulder. He would have chased her and got her back, but he could not leave his dying brother in front of him.

Tears started to stream down his face, as he once again was pathetic and helpless. He will just let everyone important to him slip right through his grasp again, he will be alone again. He will be left behind in another shitty environment by himself like when his mother died.

He was never going to be in this damned orphanage if his mother had not passed away. She died out of an illness, that he was too dumb to not notice till she was bedridden and untreatable. Soon enough, she let out her final breath, with him just watching curled to a corner of their dirty floor. He had once again, let history repeat itself, his friends disappearing from his life while he sat down on the hard floor.

“Levi” he snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Farlan’s voice, somewhat already muffled by his ragged breathing. The poor boy’s clothes ad already turned from sky blue and white, to bright crimson red, and he knew that his friend would not last that long anymore. He listened attentively, waiting for the other words to come. “Take back Isabel” Farlan whispered, his now darker grey eyes looking for some assurance in his own irises.

“I will get her back” he sniffed, nodding furiously. “I will also get revenge for what they did to you” he spoke through gritted teeth, trying to pull himself together from crying.

“You take care okay?” Farlan’s breathing became heavier and heavier.

“Please lend me your strength?” his grip on his friend’s hand became tighter, as he received nothing but a light smile. Alas his brother’s limbs lost their motion as it dropped down to the hard cold floor with a small thud.

More tears streamed down his face, tiny droplets already forming a small stream as they raced. He had not just lost friends, he had lost people he treated as his brother and sister for almost five years. The only people who understood a child who’d been stripped of his innocence at the early age of three. As much as people despised them for being menacing thieves before they were sent to the orphanage, He found home in their company, a will to survive, and a sense of safety.

**—TWENTY YEARS LATER—**

_“Welcome to the new City of Wallace, the division of Sina. Today is August twenty-first of the year four one hundred, Welcome, to the new age”_ the female robotic voice of the intercom rung as the train sped past the boundary.

He looked to see a sky filtered by a massive glass dome. Sina had really developed into a fully futuristic area, their atmosphere and air literally different from the other sides of the walls. It wasn’t dirty, it wasn’t poor, and definitely not devoid of any technology. If he had not graduated first in his class to be a cop, then he wouldn’t even have any right to step in the city where only the privileged and the rich could live.

The cost of living inside Sina is immensely high, fortunately for him, his cop services would cover his expenses. He would rather settle on the outskirts of the dome, like the small city of Stohess where it was decent and unpolitical, but instead, he was graced by what other people saw as a once in a lifetime opportunity, A chance to live in Mitras.

If it wasn’t per Erwin’s orders, he wouldn’t even come to the pristine city, but he was rather forced to receive his reward even if he didn’t want it. He was to be given his own apartment in exchange for being deployed in the city. His monthly salary also higher than what he expected before hand, although he never really spent loads of money for luxury, except when buying high grade tea and cleaning supplies. But the real deal on why he traveled today was to receive his very own bionic, a robot designed to help cops in their job, but only the top ten per year has the privilege to have one as a partner.

The bionics are highly intellectual beings, ranked according to their special unique abilities, and also given to a soldier equally capable as their partner. He had never seen a rank one, nor one which was higher than six outside of the Capital, but it was a guarantee he was receiving a class one bionic for being the best in his class.

At first, he was hesitant on getting a mechanical machine in his business, but he found it helpful for his investigations the least, if bionics are really that smart. He never lost his real purpose of being a cop, to find his sister and take vengeance for his brother, yet he had to do it in a subtle kind of manner for the government would not allow him take on ‘minor assignments’. He figured having a bionic by his side would probably be helpful.

He stepped down the station, busy people in formal wear bumping his shoulder and looking at him with disgust. He would give them nothing but a scowl as he proceeded to make his way towards the Progenitor’s office. A man named Zeke was supposed to give him his prize, the creator of all bionics, the smartest man known to humanity at the very moment.

He was never fazed by the tall buildings he was never used to seeing. Strutting along the sidewalk with his head held high even if his dark get up didn’t match the environment around him. Dozens of business men and women passed by him, giving him judging looks. There was nothing wrong to be exact, he was just wearing plain simple black jeans, white polo, and black combat boots with a huge duffel bag slung over his shoulders. It was just not the norm around a huge wealthy city, but he never planned on conforming with it. He was just damn getting his business finished and live his way through it all.

He checked the card in his hands twice, glancing at the tall glass covered building in front of him. It was indeed the place he was looking for, and he took no more time to waste as he entered the area.

“Hi!” He was immediately greeted by a woman with shoulder length hair. she had droopy eyes, and a prim and proper office outfit as she over looked him from the computer screen in front of her. “You are sir Levi Ackerman aren’t you? My name is Pieck and we’ve been expecting you. Just take the elevator to the right and go straight to the penthouse. Mr. Jaeger will see you there.”

He did what he was told to do, patiently waiting for the awfully slow elevator to come down. When he took a step inside, he cringed at the damn annoying music that played through the small speakers above. Although subtle and soft, it sounded like a ringtone he would never want to use or hear ever again. It gave him agony as he had to wait till he passed more than thirty floors before he could come to a stop.

A clean but dark looking desk greeted him as soon as the metal doors opened. He stepped inside and took notice of the view immediately. The line of where the dome of Sina stops was clearly drawn, and there was a faint view of the cities outside of the district. It gave him the notion that Wallace was indeed a city of money, where the rich and noble get to live in luxury, and the others, either have a hard life or die as the area went farther from the Capital.

“Levi Ackerman” he turned around to face the man. A tall stature accompanied by blond colored long hair and beard, thick glasses also sat by the man’s nose whom he presumed was Zeke Jaeger. “So you are humanity’s strongest, I’ve heard?” he asked.

“I simply topped my class sir” he replied with courtesy, trying to bite back his sass.

“But you broke all the records when it came to skill and agility” Zeke replied with a smile, a smile that Levi thought there was something wrong with, but brushed it off anyway. “For that, I have never done this to anyone yet, but a special soldier needs a special companion. Come” he was motioned to follow, and so he did.

He was lead to another door, where the lights were dim except for the end of the hall. Everything started to look like a shady establishment, but he decided to keep it together, it will all be over in a few anyway. 

There, a huge glass tube glowed teal. A bionic standing tall at one hundred seventy centimeters with eyes closed. He winced upon knowing that his bionic partner would be taller than him, but he knew he had to settle his height insecurities for his job.

“This bionic is the only rank one bionic in Wallace. She is immensely sharp, displaying a larger intelligence than all others. She is the only bionic who had mastered ten languages, aside from having a built in encyclopedia and memory storage. Her unique ability is having blades under her feet, which makes her dangerous and fast” Zeke spoke, eyes directed to a holographic keyboard from the side.

With a few presses on the board, the glass case opened, fog falling down below to his feet as the bionic slowly opened her eyes. He had noticed the way her body took shape in the form of a woman, although thin and lacking in bust size. Her brown locks were tied in a messy ponytail and her hazel irises were partially masked by lenses due to her goggles. She immediately showed a wide smile as she took a stride unto the hard tiled floor, staring at him and the progenitor as they stood still upfront.

“Hi! I’m Abby!” she obnoxiously spoke, making Levi wince. Great, he was getting one hell of an annoying bot. “Father, who is he?” she spoke, gaze directing from him to Zeke as she saw no intention from him to introduce himself.

“This is Levi, Tabitha” Zeke replied. “From now on, you will go with him and help him in his rendezvous. Be a good girl and give him the help he needs” 

“Aye aye!” she enthusiastically hollered, doing a salute over her head before turning back her attention to him. “So dear partner, where do you want to go first?!” then he knew, it was going to be hell of a long day.

##  Chapter 1: Hi I'm Abby! 

**— Levi —**

“According to the data papa gave me, your apartment is on the third floor of that building. Also, everything had already been settled and Erwin will be the one to hand off your allowance every week in the office.” For the past hour they had been together, he had learned that she treated her creator as her father, and had great devotion for Zeke. She had also been extremely robotic, in terms of movement and speech. Although he knew she was a full pledged mechanical being, he somehow hoped she had a piece of humanity in her, seeing she actually looked like a normal human being if it wasn’t for her tight and durable uniform.

His face turned into the epitome of disgusted once the creaking door opened, after his fifth attempt to turn the keys and unlock it. He wasn’t even sure if he was stepping inside a decent home, or a pig sty. The place reeked of an odor he couldn’t fathom, dust rising up from the ground as soon as his heavy boots hit the old noisy wooden floor. The paint chipped from the walls of the place, cobwebs hanging from a few corners. It was fully furnished like promised, but he wasn’t sure if it was an old haunted house, or a paradise for bugs. 

“Erwin had just left you a message to meet him at a café called Aristocrat approximately three blocks away from here” she followed him in a tow, and he winced at the way she could still smile despite the environment around her. 

“This place couldn’t get any better even if I wasted a year’s worth of my paycheck in here” he muttered under his breath, trying to look for at least a half decent place to put down his duffel bag.

“Actually, your paycheck according to my data is four thousand two hundred dollars a month, therefore fifty thousand four hundred a year. Living inside Mitras is very high, paint costs twenty dollars per gallon, and this apartment is a hundred square meters, meaning it would take you four hundred dollars for the paint. A new carpet or floor would approximately take you a thousand dollars to two if you choose a high quality one. New furniture would cost about ten thousand dollars if you are willing to buy something new. All in all, it will take you thirteen thousand four hundred to renovate this home” she cut in.

“Gee thanks for the math you damn robot” he rolled his eyes.

“You’re welcome!” his eye twitched at her statement, she clearly cannot recognize any human emotion, not even sarcasm. “And please refer to me as a bionic, we are of higher beings than the droids or bots you see cleaning the streets”

“But still, it would take me fucking months of starvation even if I do this shit on my own” he still sneered, giving the room another glance.

“Or I could help you?” his eyes widened at the next scenario that came upon him.

Her right boot had suddenly ejected a sharp blade at its sole. His reflexes quick as she almost lost her balance and chopped his head off.

“Fuck!” he cursed as she finally regained her composure, but her sharp heels driving downwards the old wood of his floor. He looked at her with an annoyed glance, as she shown no appologetic look, driving him mad each second.

“Another fifty bucks for the cement-“ he cut her off before she could continue.

“Just, keep your blade away from the damn shit hole please” he growled as she did what she was told to do. 

Great, he was having one clumsy ass bionic for a partner.

**————**

“Hi I’m Abby!” She greeted his superior upon spotting him cozily drinking a fresh cup of coffee from one of the booths inside the café.

“Hello Abby, I’m Erwin” the blond man chuckled, giving him a teasing look. The Commander already damn knew that people, or bionics who are eccentric aren’t Levi’s favorite type of beings to be with. Erwin sure was having a good time seeing the tired and annoyed look of his subordinate who sat across him. “Glad to see you already using your gift. Happy and settled here in Mitras?” he asked before sipping from his cup once more.

“My new home is a fucking mess, I have shitty glasses here as my partner in crime, she just told me that I’d spend months worth of paychecks just to have a comfortable life. Considering all that, I’m fucking fine” he sneered, but Erwin only shot him a more amused look.

“I see they still don’t treat outsiders in a good way” 

“Its fucking shit Erwin, they never treated us fairly and I don’t think they ever will even if I’m the best amongst everyone” 

“But I assume you’re getting well with your bionic?” the Commander tried to divert his attention somewhere else, but he just groaned.

“She just wrecked my damn floor being a klutz. Its a complete disaster Erwin. She doesn’t know when to shut up and she annoys the living hell out of me.” Both men stared at the bionic who only tilted her head to the side, trying to understand their situation.

“Still, give it a try Levi. Zeke had reported to me that you are given technology’s smartest, fit for humanity’s strongest. It took Mike a few months to get used to Oriana, give Abby a chance”

He sighed, remembering his tall comrade who also annoyed the living hell out of him. The man was another lazy person, who loved to sniff an smirk. Mike’s hair had been one of the things that silently gave him slight OCD, due to the length and thickness, as well as his growing beard and mustache. His thoughts then drifted off to Mike’s bionic, a tall but petite looking woman named Oriana. Unlike Mike, she actually had a clean undercut hair like his, but its shade was blonde like her partner’s. She had pale skin and droopy pale eyes which made her look like a kindhearted underling, but deep inside their partnership, the bionic had the ability to make Mike’s life better, or to his opinion, bearable. Aside from being a good companion on missions, Oriana had been the one to remind Mike to clean his place, wake up in the morning, and get is ass up when he’s drunk in a bar. She looked more like a servant to him rather than a fighter, but Abby certainly did not look like she would be anything like Oriana.

“To make up for it, you can fix your home within a week and I’ll be the one to pay for the expenses, charge it on me” his eyes widened at his Commander’s words. “Think about it as a friend’s help. I was the one who forced you to take this opportunity when you didn’t want to”

“But” he followed.

“But what?” Erwin asked, fake confusion plastered all over his face which made Levi’s forehead crease.

“I know you Erwin, you don’t simply just give and not take” the man laughed about his words.

“You really do know me Levi” he shrugged, before a glass chip was slid down to his side of the small table. “Abby, if you please”

The girl gave them a small nod, smile never wiping off her lips as concentrated green light illuminated right out of her hazel orbs and through her glasses. The chip raised into the air before it dissolved into tiny holographic shards, one that fascinated him although he would not admit. She stood there for a few moments, her hands clasped behind her back before blinking and directing her attention back to both men once more.

_“The mission is a class D assignment-“_ He was caught off guard, after her voice rung in his head without her mouth even opening.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he asked her, eyebrows furrowing together even more. Surprised at his loss of privacy within his thoughts.

_“Its a mind link”_ His eyes widened even more when it was Erwin he heard inside his head. _“Its a capacity bionics can do so thank communication is easier during missions. The less noise, the lesser chances of getting caught when you are undercover. She can select who goes into the mind links. She can read your thoughts, and you can read hers vice versa. You can hear everything the two of you are saying without uttering a single word.”_

“So she can hear what I’m saying even if we aren’t on a mission?” he asked.

“It is not forbidden to use a mind link outside of work. It is her choice if she wants to activate the mind link or not” Erwin answered. His gaze directed to her direction as she just smiled at him as always. He gave her a sharp glare as if telling her to stay away from his mind when it isn’t time for work. “Anyways, please continue Abby”

_”Our task is to transport a serum for Purple Pox from Mitras to Krolva where Lord Zackley would be receiving it. Our route should be via Yarckel since we are requested to deliver the item immediately”_ she finished, but he groaned upon hearing the information.

_“Why Yarckel? You know bandits are waiting there. Passing Ermich and then Dauper would be a safer route, why there?”_ He complained in his mind.

_“As Abby said, it is an ASAP request by Darius Zackley. I know some people are willing to risk their lives for an antidote, but the vial is strictly for Zackley’s daughter only since the market cannot produce so much vaccine yet”_ He groaned.

“When do we start?” he asked.

“Two days from now, and we are given twelve hours to deliver the item” Abby replied.

“Just damn make sure everything I need is back in my shitty apartment when I return Erwin” 

“You have a list in particular aside from wads of cash for new furniture and tea sets?” Erwin smirked, and he frowned upon the man touching his fetish for organization and tea.

“Fresh mahogany wood, about twenty gallons of pale grey paint, varnish, painting and building supplies, and a whole lot of mops, brooms, wipers, Windex, Clorox and all cleaning supplies you know” he replied.

“Then you have my word”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone didn't notice, Yes, **ABBY IS HANJI**
> 
> Now there will be an explanation on why they have different names here than the SNK verse in the long run of this fic, but for the mean time, lets play a game. Whenever I describe a new Bionic, you can try to guess who it is in the SNK verse. (I'm just doing this to meet new people lol)
> 
> **BIONIC NUMBER 2 SPOTTED!** does anyone have a clue who Oriana is?


	2. Hope You Don't Slip Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Abby partake in their first mission as partners. In the midst of hopeless disaster, Levi finds more about Abby, and that having her is 'Not bad at all'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No other bionic appearances for this one! But I hope it is still fun to read for all of you.
> 
> I have also decided that this fic will be updated every **SATURDAY**
> 
> Love you all!! Enjoy the chapter! :D

**— Levi —**

“And we go straight again for approximately four hundred kilometers” he groaned once he heard her obnoxious voice again, which blared from right behind him. He thought making her stop using the mind link to tell him directions would be better, but he was pretty sure he’d be partially deaf for a few days after their mission.

He had already assured her long ago that they didn’t need a map for he knew where he was supposed to go, but she insisted she’d blurt out directions as she stored a GPS in her memory the night before. As always, she was loud as ever, but he also took note of the way she seemed to appreciate the wind blowing through her hair as she rode behind him on his motorcycle.

If she wasn’t a bionic, then he would be pretty sure he brought pure ball of excitement with him as she couldn’t help it but linger her gaze on her surroundings despite being a talking and moving GPS. He had already scolded her multiple times for almost falling off their speeding ride and almost loosing a few limbs if she’d hit the tire or ground just a few inches wrong. Instead of having a partner for his mission, he felt like he was a baby sitter, with an annoying child who did nothing much of help to him. But then again, he promised Erwin he would give Abby a chance. He just hoped a bunch of supplies are waiting for him as soon as he steps foot in his currently shabby a  
apartment.

“You are thinking of things that make you sad again.” His eyebrow raised as he stole a glance behind him, her happy little facade plastered again on her face.

“And you are thinking of things which make you damn happy as always. Get out of my mind” He commanded her, but he only heard laughter from within him, making him let out a ‘tsk’ as he directed his attention back to the road.

“Human emotions are strange, I have downloaded data yesterday but I still don’t understand how you are able to feel. Is it because of a certain organ?” she continued to ramble.

“You wouldn’t be able to understand” he replied “Bionics don’t have hearts to make them feel” a sudden pang of guilt came his way upon realizing what he said. He might have offended his partner for all he knew.

“No offense taken, I can’t feel anything” He looked at her again, another smile was wide across her face, yet her eyes really seemed empty now that he was able to get a good look at it. He shook his head sidewards and brushed away his thoughts. Abby isn’t a human and that fact always manages to escape his thoughts. Probably because of the way she was built to look like a normal person, but there was something deeper, something he couldn’t quite point out.

“Temperature has decreased to eight degrees celsius” she declared while he did in fact, felt the sudden chills the wind had sent in their way.

They must have reached the high point of the route. If he remembered it right, they would be crossing the river soon, and it would only take them another hour before reaching their destination. But it was all way too easy if they were to deliver without any trouble. The assignment couldn’t have been given to him if it was that easy, there must be some kind of catch, an obstacle, a danger.

“Levi, unusual movement detected from the east” Abby spoke, confirming his thoughts.

“It may just be a damn raccoon” he hissed, partially increasing the speed of his vehicle.

“No, more than a dozen heartbeats, eighteen in total. Heading right towards us in nine motorcycles. Impact in half a minute” 

He twisted the handle and made the engine roar. The freezing wind was making his cheeks numb, but he couldn’t care any less. He just wanted to get the job done without having to spill blood all over his belongings. And he was definitely not letting a clumsy bionic who only had foot blades fight.

Heavy motor sound started sputtering from a distance. He silently cursed under his gritted teeth and sped up his own vehicle up to its limit. The vial of the antidote safely sat inside his satchel that was secured around his body, and he knew the bandits are after it.

“Three” Abby started a countdown, which he didn’t know if it will piss him, or serve as a great warning.

“Two” his heartbeat started to hammer under his chest. Sure he was trained for any coming situation like this, but the thrill really gets the adrenaline pumping inside his system. This assignment was his first mission after all, he is allowed to be nervous.

“One” and right on cue, two out of nine motorcycles appeared in front, and behind them. 

He quickly whipped out a gun from his holster and shot, the back rider of the ones in front dropping to the ground and rolling towards the side, but the driver remained unscathed. He tried to aim again, at the driver who was currently doing a serpentine to avoid being shot, but his attention was caught by a gun pop coming from behind. He ducked his head but no bullet came towards his direction.

He suddenly remembered Abby, only to see a sight he never thought he would happen. He expected her to loose a limb or have a hole in her body, but instead, a gun was placed tightly around her right hand, while the other held on for support on the vehicle they rode. She was able to shoot the driver behind them, with precision and accuracy.

“Where did you get that?” his eyebrows furrowed, trying to remember if his partner had hidden a gun or if he gave her a gun before their departure.

“Another one of my special skills as a rank one is mimicry. I meld a gun in my hands and did exactly what you did forty eight seconds ago” his mouth turned into an ‘o’, before returning into his natural stoic stature. He was indeed fascinated by his new discovery, but of course he will never let her know that.

Another loud bang made him focus again on the road. He swerved towards the right to dodge an opponent coming from the other side. Abby had let out three rounds of gunshots, but did not manage to shoot any of the riders due to their constant movement. 

“Fuck!” he cussed out loud when he felt a tug on his torso. His bag had been pulled out of his grasp by another culprit when he wasn’t paying attention.

“Trajectory locked” Abby suddenly muttered. At first he did not understand, but he leaned towards the side the moment she raised the gun just a few centimeters from his skull.

“Shit! You almost blew my head off! Are you crazy?!” he yelled at her.

“I’m sorry, what?” she tilted her head to the side, looking at him with an innocent face as if nothing happened. A few seconds later, the leather satchel came falling right in her hands. He was really impressed with his partner. “Don’t slip up!” she suddenly hollered.

“I don’t intend to let go of that bag ever again, so keep it safe” he replied.

“No I meant literally don’t slip-“ she was cut off by their motor loosing its balance.

He mentally scolded himself for not paying attention to his surroundings, nor comprehending what she said properly. They have reached the river, but it wasn’t what he expected it to be. It was frozen solid, their tires not being able to hold onto ice slid and made them fall. A small ‘ping’ can be heard from a few meters away from them on the other side of the frozen stream. The vial had already rolled out of its safe container, and he couldn’t even stand up properly.

“Damn this shit” he cursed again and again, as he tried to stand up but always fell either on his bum, or propped sideways on his elbows. He can already feel bruising from both areas, a pang of pain reaching him every time he collided with the slippery, cold and hard surface. 

His face and palms along with his ears were already starting to turn red. Cold weather below zero was never his cup of tea. Not only because stale tea tasted bad, but because he couldn’t stand the damp surfaces all over him. He mentally made a note to tell Erwin to exempt him from any future missions that involved ice and snow. But at least for the moment, the bandits cannot reach them without tripping as well. Or so he thought.

It felt like a slap straight to his face when the opponents’ tires suddenly popped out spikes that could help them run on ice. He and Abby had already taken down two motorcycles, which left them with seven more to battle, on shitty ice.

“Give up already little lambs?” one of the bikers taunted them. He wasn’t sure if he was fired up by the goon having the possibility to win over them, or the way the ugly man made fun of his height. Even so, the situation was never in his favor, even if he had shoes built for gliding on ice, he never learned how to do so.

“I am analyzing our options-“ the thieves that surrounded them looked at her confused. “-And I can say they there is a high ninety-eight percent that we will win”

He couldn’t believe what was coming out of her mouth. She looked equally as beat as him, slumped on the ice and her exposed arms and thighs had some scabs. But then again, he reminded himself that she was no normal person. He was equally stunned as their enemies when she stood up tall and proud, wounds suddenly releasing sparks then getting healed totally. So she had regeneration powers as well. Her foot blades were ejected from her soles and the next thing he knew, she was gracefully gliding on ice like a professional.

Once again, he was left helpless and watching from a distance, but this time, he wasn’t loosing something, or someone, he was going to make it. Maybe having Abby was not so bad after all.

“What kind of freak are you?!” the same goon shouted at her, definitely not having encountered such a strong form of droid before.

“Hi I’m Abby!” she replied, with the same eccentric smile she always had, but this time, it had something deeper in it. She clearly looked intimidating and scary in her current state, and it was sure affecting the enemies. Fear, nervousness were plastered on their faces. “And I’m a rank one bionic” she finished, before charging at them like a sudden gust of wind.

She was quick, shifting and pushing both feet against the surface with long strides. The men dispersed in different directions, but they had one common goal, the antidote for Purple Pox that laid on the other side of the river. Abby had been proficient enough, using her own gun whilst chasing men back and forth, but they outnumbered her, and she was evidently having a hard time catching up to the goons one by one.

He wasted no more time and sat straight up from his spot. He may not have been trained to ice skate, but he was trained to aim and shoot a gun. He leveled the gun to his sight and straightened up the front and the rear. Because it might be a risk to shoot Abby and not one of the thieves, he opted for the back tires instead. Once they were pierced by his bullets, the tandem that rode the vehicle rolled off towards the hard ice with a thud. He continued doing so, taking down four which means left three more for Abby.

Once he whipped his head back to her direction, she was already skating backwards towards his direction while shooting at men who were prying on her. The bag had been already slung around her torso as she glided, shooting fire at the same time. She took down one motor, and missed the others who were agin performing a chaotic serpentine on order to dodge her bullets.

“Levi!” she screamed, once she was about only three meters away from him. Her gun dispersed back into her hands as she grabbed his arms, more like yanked. He had no idea what her next plan was, but whatever it is, it must be something purely made out of logic, one that will surprise him again.

He was getting dragged around the ice, his legs still useless and stiff even if he tried to stand on his own. Without any other word, he was flung on air, the cold breeze hitting his back before it became something soft and nastily wet. He silently cursed, dusting himself off excess snow as he stood up, until something quite hard and heavy hit his back which made him stumble back to the glistening powder beneath him. He groaned, reaching for the item that collided with him a few moments ago. His mouth hung agape upon realizing that it was the satchel, the vial safe and sound once more inside.

“Abby!” he screamed, turning around and finding her in the ice field.

“Please stand back!” she replied to him, and he did what he was told.

There were two more bandits after her trail, she gave one final leap on ice as if she was dancing and shot the surface. She had landed like a feather on the partially cracked frozen river, the men’s face mirrored horror in their expressions. 

“We win!” she hollered, placing her now empty hands behind her back and giving them one final teasing smile. She stepped backwards, just enough so one foot was now stepping on concrete land. She gave the fragile ice one gentle tap with her blade, before it gave away a terrifying breaking sound. The thin ice cracked, everything that remained on it sinking along to the cold water below. 

The goons screamed in agony as their bodies drowned in the water, while she laughed and skipped towards his direction. He remained dazed in his position, he was still comprehending how powerful indeed was the droid he received. 

“If we start walking now, we will reach the gates of Krolva in twenty minutes by foot” She snapped him out of his trance. 

He watched her as she walked past him, with the same bright smile she had since he met her. He now realized how scary his partner was. She looked so innocent from the outside, with her eccentric personality and pleasant disposition, but she hid so much power it is impossible for an enemy not to feel intimidated.

“Not bad” he whispered to himself as he collected all his belongings and padded his way to follow her. “Not bad at all”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think of Abby's skills now? Want to be a bionic or nah?


	3. You Look Grey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite all the skills Abby showed on their previous mission, Levi still finds himself iffy to trust in her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I will be EXTREMELY BUSY tomorrow, I decided to update one day earlier. Hope you guys like this chapter :)

**— Levi —**

As promised, a stash of all the supplies he were to use were waiting behind his doorstep as soon as he got home. Erwin had also left him gift cash for buying new furniture he desired. The man also promised him a new motorcycle in replacement for his sunken one after Abby’s stunt in their last mission.

They had successfully delivered the antidote, and Zackley was kind enough to lend them a car and a chauffeur to drive them back to his shitty apartment in Mitras. It took them nearly twenty hours of travel going back, considering the path towards the gate of Yarckel is impassable. They had to take the longer and safer path towards Ehrmich.

“And all these could have taken months of your paycheck” she teased him with the mind link, which made her earn a glare from him.

It had dawned on him that he still had a lot to learn about his partner, and one of those is how annoyingly she loved using the mind link so much. Droids are supposed to be devoid of any emotion, but she seemed to take amusement on bugging him inside his brain. As if she wasn’t a handful yet physically.

“Quit using the mind link will you?” he hissed at her.

“okay” he just groaned, as she let out a soft chuckle. She was really one deviant robot. “Again, I’m a bionic. Like the food chain, robots and simple droids which are used for simple human tasks like cleaning, cooking, assisting etcetera. Us bionics have our own will and intellect, we are tasked so help the best of humans on their work as much as we can so we are higher beings that those smaller forms of technology”

“Alright I get it” He sighed, her blabbers will never really stop unless you force it to.

“So what do you intend to start with first? I suggest the walls so that if ever you spill some paint, you don’t mess up the new floor you have installed” she suggested, one that he thought was really a bright idea.

He made his way towards the cans of paint and brought out the roller. He cringed at the stench as soon as he opened one canister. He groaned and made his way towards his duffel bag which settled on one of the rickety couches near the window. He pulled out two bandanas, one that he tied over his head, and the other to cover half of his face. He also brought out a pair of gloves, he sure did not want to make a mess.

Once he deemed that he smelled no more toxic fumes, he started with his work, covering the hideous chipped pastel pink paint that clad his walls. He carefully let the roller glide from top to bottom, creating seamless lines in one single stroke. He is admittedly a perfectionist, one who always wants everything fixed and in order. His habits can be seen on the way he dressed, the way he stood up, and of course, the way he colored his soon to be perfect home.

“Why don’t you try painting in diagonal lines? It would be much easier considering you are tip toeing just to reach the highest part” he shot her a glare for two reasons. First, she was going to disrupt the order, and second, she was making fun of his height. Again.

“This is my way shitty glasses. My house, my damn rules” he scoffed at her, before continuing his solemn painting.

“My father gave me these amazing specs because my eye sight is worse than other bionics” it was as if she scolded him for calling her glasses shitty. So even bionics can have flaws after all, even the highest ranking ones have weaknesses. “How about I just help you then? I can paint the other side of the house” she took strides towards the paint canisters, already motioning to get her own pan and roller. 

He immediately set aside his own tools and stopped her. Sure, letting her help would mean lesser time of accomplishment, but he doesn’t trust her enough on these kinds of matters. Knowing Abby, she would go her own way and paint diagonally, horizontally or in crazy boxes rather than vertical strokes.

“Don’t touch it” he growled at her, gripping her wrist which seemed too flesh like. His thoughts suddenly drifted off to their duel with the bandits on the way to Krolva. She was scabbed once they hit the ice, but she stood up like it was nothing and regenerated. Yes she is a robot, but her skin doesn’t feel like metal that could be fixed with sparks and fire like they appeared to be a day ago.

“You are thinking about how I heal?” she was using the mind link. Again. 

He let her go and shook his head furiously, as if trying to shoo her out of his brain. Much to his dismay, she only gave him a small laugh, followed by an explanation.

“Again, I am a Bionic, not a robot. If I were a robot, I wouldn’t be able to do what you saw yesterday” she started. “My father made me, us, all the bionics, have a way to regenerate ourselves once we are scarred. We can tweak a few holes, scars and streaks on our skin, but once a major part of us is damaged like perhaps, a dislocated limb, huge holes, or blown up, we cannot use the technique. We are to be returned to our father to be physically repaired”

“Freakishly immortal” he murmured from under his breath, although he was positive that Abby can still hear it.

“We are not immortal” she blurted out, a sudden edge in her voice had him shook. He was not sure, but from his peripheral vision, while he was refilling his paint pan, he could see her ‘permanent’ smile disappear. The more days that pass by, the more Abby was starting to get weirder. “But of course I won’t tell you how you could possibly kill me in my sleep” her playful stature was back again.

“Do you even sleep?” he raised an eyebrow, whilst stretching his back out again and starting to paint the walls once more.

“Only when needed. I am still a branch of technology and I need to be charged, meaning I need to eat, drink and sleep unlike your so called robots and droids who need electricity” she was back at proving and insisting that Bionics are a higher form of mechanical organisms. “I need to eat and drink like a normal human being, but I only need sleep when I undergo very strenuous activities, or if I drastically need to regenerate” 

“Great. Another bill off my paycheck” he rolled his eyes. Come to think of it, he did not eat, nor sleep for more than forty-eight hours now. Not that he gets plenty of those needs anyway. But now, he always needs to remind himself to feed the girl or he would have a possibly very weak partner on missions.

“You don’t have to worry about my expenses. They will be adding another two thousand dollars to your pay” he mentally did the math although not sure if he was right. If Abby needed two thousand unlike the average person which is six hundred dollars per month, then she must eat a lot. “So will you let me help now?” 

He paused from his uncomfortable position of trying to reach the high ends of the wall and looked at her. She sure was determined to have some work done, but he will not let her.

“How about this-“ he placed down all his equipment neatly on the floor and faced her. “-you get me a damn ladder from one of the neighbors, then get us some dinner”

“Should I cook or-“ he cut her off before she could even continue. He could already see it in front of his eyes like a blurry warning, his house, rather, the whole building burning after her attempt at starting the stove only to make it explode. A bit too over reacting, but Abby is one clumsy ass bionic —there, he finally got it right— and the current stove looks like it is about to be a ticking time bomb due to the rust.

“You can make calls as one of your perks right?” she gave him a nod “Just call for some pizza or something”

He sighed once she was out of the door. Finally, some peace and quiet.

**————**

He can feel his eye twitch once Abby arrived with a delivery man in tow. She did order pizza, but it towered on the arms of the man who was behind their door step. The bill had sky rocketed to almost two hundred dollars after she ordered a dozen of more than ten dollars each box. He was not only pissed, he was furious! But he couldn’t do anything about it now that its already fresh and hot in front of them.

He handed out the exact cash to the delivery man who sensed his annoyance and left his sight in a jiffy. He had his teeth gritted and his eyes were looming and dark, who wouldn’t get scared with his normally angry face?

He folded his arms over his chest and padded his way back inside the still, shabby apartment with Abby skipping behind him. He thought he could already trust her enough to order after she had successfully borrowed a ladder from an old woman named Mrs. Kirschtein next door. But no, she had failed to buy just the sufficient amount of food the two of them can eat. He wasn’t even sure if he can eat after shelling such a huge amount of money for fucking pizza. He hated the greasy food anyway, he wasn’t even sure why he suggested it in the first place when he could have asked her to get decent Chinese food.

“What you did was nice!” she complimented the two walls out of four he had accomplished. Their cringe worth pastel pink trash cover now replaced by neat pale grey paint. He still had two huge walls, a whole bedroom to paint, a floor to replace, and a bathroom to thoroughly clean. And he still won’t let Abby near any of that.

He could only stare at her as she propped herself on the only half-decent couch in the room and opened a box of pizza. He wouldn’t even mind if she left stains there, he was to dispose of it anyway.

“You shoulf eat choo” she murmured, whilst eating, another habit of her he found annoying and something he would like to change.

“Don’t talk while your mouth is full four eyes” he scolded her.

“okay then” he groaned once he heard her voice inside his head. She will really try to find a way to use the mind link as much as she can.

For the next few hours, he kept Abby busy as she munched on a dozen boxes of different flavored pizza which had eight slices each. He was able to finish a wall and a half which she happily gobbled up and rested for an hour after. The walls were staring to look good in his eyes, but they are still far from perfect, and he needed a plan to keep Abby distracted without him getting bothered.

“So can I help you now?” she surprised him from his back, which made him loose his balance and the ladder wobble. He silently cursed and grabbed the posts of steel ladder, trying to get himself in position as paint splattered down to the floor and some on his clothes.

“Fucking shit!” he growled as he finally regained composure. The steps he was standing on was now held steadily by Abby from below. She stared upwards at him with her usual big and annoying smile. “Will you stop that?” he groaned, climbing down the ladder.

“Stop what?” she asked, tilting her head to the side as if she was an innocent little girl.

“Whatever you are doing! Stop it!” he groaned, face palming, until he realized that there was paint on his finger tips and he probably smeared some across his face.

“You look grey” she chuckled.

“You fucking think?” he sighed putting his fists down his sides. That’s it, Abby may be helpful in battle, but she will always be a clumsy and annoying ‘Bionic’ who took amusement in his demise and lame jokes.

“So, will you let me help now?” Her fingers grazed his paint covered cheeks and brushed it off the best she could. He suddenly froze at her contact, she is indeed warm and human like in terms of skin. “I can continue painting the half of the wall while you start painting the room. It is most proficient that way”

“No” he snapped out of his trance. “How about this?” he grabbed her wrist and slowly drew her hand away from him. “You can search the web for new furniture at Marco’s and we’ll have it delivered once I’m done with all of this” 

“I can do that!” she stood up proud with her hands clasped behind her back. “I’ll get the best furniture in there-“ he cut her off.

“Don’t get anything over board with out gift certs!” he hollered. “As much as possible, get good deals that are half off. They have those at Marco’s. Then before you place the final order, you show me everything first”

She gave him a small nod, then made her way back to the couch she could already call her own. Her glasses suddenly glowed of different holographic images indicating she was already busy. Finally, he can work in peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. Please don't hate me for my awful attempt at humor and Marco T.T


	4. Someone Like You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwin sets Levi unto a cleaning frenzy after announcing his visit to Abby, a few hours before the given time. Although Levi is annoyed, Abby takes pleasure unto his reactions, and the new people Erwin has brought along with him.

**— Levi —**

“Are you sure you really got a memo?” he asked her, as he furiously wiped the kitchen counter off any kind of dirt.

“Yes!” she enthusiastically responded, bouncing from the new couch that arrived a day ago. One that she took a great liking to. “The Commander sent mail that he will be visiting your humble abode at three PM today”

“Did he say anything about why the hell he would visit me when my damn home is still a mess?” to others, it may already look like a good place to stay in, but for him, it has not met his standards of perfection yet. Cleaning, standards that is. They have just finished stocking in the new furniture yesterday, and today, he would’ve been dusting, sweeping, wiping everything free of bacteria, but instead, Erwin decided to pay him a visit.

“No. He just sent details about time and a ‘hope to see you soon’ note at the end” she replied.

“And of course you responded to his mail that I would be happy to accept him even if my place is still a damn mess” she just gave him one of her big smiles, accompanied by a nod. 

It was already quarter to three and the sink isn’t even shinning and shimmering yet. Days of no sleep totally took a toll on him, and he immediately plopped down the bed once it arrived. He had a good night’s sleep of six hours, beating his insomniac record of only two to three hours of sleep. If only he had woken up sooner, then he would have gotten a job well done. Three hours difference makes a lot in his opinion.

The doorbell rang, he ripped off both bandanas rom his face and hair and tossed them towards the side of the kitchen counter along with his gloves and wiper. He silently prayed that it was just an annoying kid neighbor who wanted attention, but Abby confirmed the opposite of his thoughts.

“They’re here” Abby stood up from her spot and skipped towards the door.

“They?” he shot her a questioning look.

“Yes they” she stopped on her tracks and leaned backwards to get a better view of him while she spoke. “Two men and another one like me!” her smile became bigger, and creepier.

“Someone like you?” he asked again.

“Yes! Another bionic” then it dawned on him, Erwin must’ve come here with his Mike, and Mike’s own partner Oriana.

Four more consecutive rings later, he had made his way behind his partner who opened the door in his stead. She would be a better host for guests anyway, with her eccentric and cheerful personality. 

“Good Afternoon Abby” Erwin greeted her with a stoic expression, while she returned him a smile.

“Good Afternoon too” she tilted her head to the side and looked at the people, or rather, person and bionic behind the Commander. “Hi I’m Abby!” 

“Well Hello there” Oriana stepped up, greeting Abby in a more modest, and calm way. Mike’s own bionic sure has a softer personality than his.

Mike, per usual, sniffed on the girl and smirked, but Abby seemed like she didn’t mind at all. In fact, she even flashed her signature smile at the tall man. His colleagues sure are creepy, just like his freak of a partner. But then again, he himself is not normal. Or at least in other people’s eyes.

“So what are you all doing here?” he raised an eyebrow at the crowd who were still standing behind his open door step.

“You won’t even let us in short stack?” Mike replied, which earned a glare from him. He and Mike have a ‘hate but decent’ relationship. He hated the tall man’s guts for always finding amusement in him, but they are forced to get along because they are comrades. The man was also the strongest soldier known before he had graduated.

Abby stepped aside and let their company in. She had warmly accepted the other bionic in particular, instantly looking at each other’s eyes as if they were already talking without speaking. Oh right, the mind link. At least she can keep herself preoccupied with bugging Oriana’s mind instead of his.

“I see you have already taken my generosity into use” Erwin spoke, scanning his eyes all over the new apartment. All walls are now grey, the floor shinned and covered in vinyl, furniture evidently new and clean, everything look pristine and gorgeous. “But I assume you aren’t even satisfied yet?” 

“You are damn right” he scoffed, and the man laughed.

“I see you are still a clean freak” Mike smirked at him.

“And I see you still don’t mind your own god damn business” he shot back.

“Enough bickering gentlemen” Erwin mediated between the two with a sigh. “Ladies, please direct your attention over here” he called for the two bionics who had their own space in the small kitchen. They didn’t make any noise, but it was really apparent that the two were talking.

“I knew you had another agenda aside from disturbing my peaceful home” Erwin only gave him a small smile.

Like the first time he was given an assignment almost a week ago, Erwin brought out two glass chips, one that was labelled ’01’ for him and Abby, and ’02’ for the rank two Mike and Oriana.

The two bionics gladly obliged to their tasks in sync. Scanners coming out of their irises and the thin glass lifting into the air before dissolving into holographic shards. Soon enough, he expected to be bothered with a mind link, but instead, Abby and Oriana’s eyes glowed, before projecting an image unto the table in front of them. Something sort of a holographic three- dimensional map or floor plan.

“This is the palace of Utgard, located in the division of Maria” Erwin started. The place was huge, huge enough that it needed two bionics to flash the complete image. “A gala will be hosted by Lord Dimo Reeves, in celebration for handing down their business to his son, Flegel Reeves”

“Let me guess, another illegal trading business?” Mike asked, propping his leg up the other. He may be thinking that this would only another easy, ’investigate and reveal’ task.

“Unfortunately no, it is actually a Class A Assignment, the fate of Trost depends on it” he brought a hand out towards his temples. This is really serious business. “A former Noble, Djel Sannes who had lost all his fortune after trying to compete with the Reeves in an auction two years ago will be attending. An intel says that he plans on ruining all of Reeves’ possessions by destroying the town the Reeves cared for the most. Trost” so it was another feud due to wealth, damn rich people.

These people fought so selfishly, taking down the enemy and bringing innocent lives along with them. Wallace indeed ran on social class, one thing he always hated. The Destitute are those people who possessed little to none belongings. Those that lived on the outer most parts of the wall and away from innovation. The Betwixt are those that can afford but minimal and live usually inside the confines of Maria and Rose. The Affluent are the nobles, where the greed begins. Some live inside Rose, and some in Sina. Some are compassionate, while others are just despicable. And finally, the Monarchy, although the only knows Royalties now a days are the Fritz and Reiss family, since the others have fallen long ago in a pursuit for royal blood.

“It is believed that Sannes is the culprit to stealing the code for the hydrogen missiles in the Factory City near Jinae and will release them along with the fireworks that were prepared for the festivities. Your job is to stop him without being noticed and bring the code back to safety” he nodded once his superior was through.

“So why is this a two man job?” Mike complained with a groan, and pointed at him. “This midget will just get in my way”

“Have you even asked me if I want to work with you?” he hissed back at the tall man.

“If you haven’t noticed yet, the Utgard palace is really big. Backup will be on stand by outside once you have managed to secure Sannes. But we need only a few eyes inside, to remain unsuspicious. You two have been chosen since you are the best within the corps” his eyebrows furrowed upon Erwin’s words. Sure he understood them, but the fact that he was working with a sycamore tree made the job less appealing than thrilling.

“If you want less distracting, you mean we won’t come in with Oriana and Abby?” Mike asked. “Plus, Levi’s resting bitch face is already a given to draw the life out of intimidated people” he shot a stern look towards the man. “Like that face he is making right now”

Half of the hologram of Utgard palace suddenly disappeared, followed by the light chuckles of Abby she tried to suppress. Right, she also took pleasure in insulting him.

“I’ll have undercover clothes sent to you both first thing in the morning, before you start your journey towards Maria. As for the bionics, they’ll also have their own set of clothes, and I expect they can find out by themselves how to pretend to be a noble for a night” the two girl nodded. 

Truth be told, Abby and Oriana can just download any behavior in their database and act like it as if they are wearing a mask. It would be harder for him and Mike in all honesty, trying to act polite when the tall man is a natural goofball and he himself, is a natural ball of rage.

“Then it is settled, tomorrow a limo will pick you all up. I expect no failure in this project. The fate of humanity rests in our hands” the Commander stood up, all seriousness plastered across his face. Failure, was never in his vocabulary anyways when it came to missions.

**— Abby —**

A small light lingered from the couch, her glasses glowing as different binaries and codes downloaded into her system. She also tried acting them out, the facial expression of a happy, sad, mad, and stoic person. Another thing was body language, if all words failed, the act can be subdue to communication.

“So this is being someone like Levi means” she whispered. “Human” fascinating.

She may have a big smile always drawn across her lips, but she never really had a feeling to go with it. At least now by research, she knows that people smile when they are glad, or sometimes, it has a deeper meaning. Like to hide away sadness from other people, or accomplishing something heinous and crazy.

Human emotions are very diverse, inconsistent, and astonishing. She would want to learn more about it rather than reading something or looking at pictures in the net. She already had a perfect specimen in front of her, but he was cold, stoic and rarely showed any feelings. 

But maybe one day, he’ll open up to her and she’d see the vast expressions he can make. Maybe someday, she won’t rely on the internet for a reference of becoming a human. Maybe one day, she’ll become someone like him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hola! College had me stuDYING over the past two weeks (tbh only went to school for that long and I'm already so tired), but! I still decided to write because I love LeviHan, and I needed a break.
> 
> Useless filler chapter I know, but I promise a better and longer one for the next update next week! Please bare with my stress induced self at the moment :( THANK YOU GUYS! LOTS OF LOVE <3


	5. It Takes Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On their second mission together with Mike and Oriana, Levi finds himself distracted from his job through his bionic partner; Abby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to upload this now while I have the time.
> 
> As promised, a longer and much more enjoyable chapter for you guys<3 I hope you like it!

**— Levi —**

He adjusted the cuffs of his long sleeve polo with ease, then topped everything with a blazer which completed the formal look. He sure looked like a noble himself, if only he dressed like this every single day. But of course, he would not. The clothes may look good, but they are far less comfortable than people think. The tight slack restrain him from moving too much, collar somewhat chocking him and rubbing around his neck, the double layers making him feel the heat which will make him sweat a lot if there was no proper air conditioning. Still, he felt that the get up was incomplete.

He pulled out one of his white cloths that he usually used as bandanas from his closet. Artfully tying it around his neck till it became a cravat.

“Not bad” he whispered, admittedly admiring himself in front of the mirror. He also had his hair slicked back with hair gel, his freshly groomed undercut showing below the tamed hair above.

“I hate this dress” Abby groaned, entering his room and tugging the neckpiece of her halter type gown. She looked human, and started to act like a human as soon as he got up. This is the first time he’s actually seen her looking genuinely irritated and not smiling. What a good actress, she really did her research last night.

She continued to pull the sparkling fabric away from her neck and he sighed. Erwin may have went over board with their undercover outfits. The goal was to look less noticeable, but her stunning sparkly gown may even draw the attention closer to them. Abby’s back was also exposed to the public. Although her figure lacked some chest, she was tall, thin and well built for a woman’s body. She would surely be a topic for young bastards in the gala. Only they don’t know she actually isn’t human after all. Especially if she keeps a great act.

“Stop pulling at it, you might rip it. For all we know Erwin might have splurged his tight ass budget for this” he hissed, pulling her hands away from herself.

“But its really itching, I hate it” she frowned. Fucking great pretentious girl indeed.

He eyed at her nape which was already turning red fro all the scratching. Wow, she can even make herself physically human now and have rash.

“Its because of your hair, its hitting the area and causes more irritation” he pointed out.

“So what am I supposed to do? Cut it?” she rolled her eyes. Was that a terrible display or sarcasm? Or a bratty attitude.

He grabbed her hair and inched her face closer to his, slightly bending forward so their heights would match. Geez, her hair feels so greasy, is it the product of being a bionic? He made a mental note to tell her to take a bath. Or can she even take a bath?

“You tie it four eyes” this time, he was the one who rolled his eyes at her. “I thought you were supposed to be the smartest in your kind?” he smirked once seeing her rare, irritated look. 

“I am! I’m just still having a hard time coping up with this human thing” she sighed.

His mind suddenly drifted off to the time when he’d fix Isabel’s hair into pigtails, or braids in some occasions. He wondered if he can still work the magic and do it on Abby.

“Where are you going?” she asked him, once he passed her and went straight towards a drawer beside his bed.

“Tying your hair” he nonchalantly replied, pulling out a spare black cord he remembered he had.

He gestured for her to sit on the edge of the bed, and he carefully, and artfully tamed her hair the best he could. He twisted it upwards with both hands as he stuck the cord between his teeth. He then layered her hair on top of her head into a neat bun before securing it with a cord. Then, he pulled small wisps of hair back to her face so it looks quite like an unintended but beautiful mess.

“This is actually really nice” she complimented his work, after looking at herself in the mirror. But his brows furrowed upon realizing that she would make the perfect show stopper with her current look. He should have messed up more to the point that she would look like a Poodle and no one would dare look at her. Or would that bring more disapproving looks on her?

“They’re here” she turned around and made her way towards the door with him in a tow. This is it, their second task begins.

**————**

“The deal is to look less distracting, you two look like you’re the fucking celebrant” Mike laughed, only to earn a harsh glare from Levi.

Compared to what him and Abby were wearing, Mike and Oriana’s suits were really far from what Erwin sent to him. Mike’s suit was almost similar to him, only that the fabric used was less shiny, cheaper in fact. The tall man also had a bowtie instead of a cravat, and he also made no effort with his looks. Mustache untamed as well as his hair. Heck, Mike’s bangs already covered his eyes. Oriana wore a rather plain satin dress, which had thin straps above her shoulders, and a straight cut right to her soles.

Certainly, Erwin had something up his sleeved, if he maid the pairs look different.

“You look beautiful” Abby greeted Oriana with a subtle smile.

“Thank you” Oriana replied, still stiff and evidently less human-like. Either Abby really did a great job, or it had something to do with their ranks.

“Considered we picked you up right at the HQ, it would only take us half an hour to reach Utgard. Did Erwin give special orders awhile ago?” he went back to his serious demeanor, and so did everyone inside the vehicle. This time, no more jokes, it was time to work.

“No, not at all” Mike responded. “But he did give the both of us these ear pieces so he can instruct things from the outside. He said he’ll be with the brigade to back us up at the perimeters of the palace” he was handed a small metal ball he inserted inside his ear. “Abby and Oriana can use the mind link to talk with everyone else” the two girls nodded.

“How about weapons? Did he give out guns?” 

“Nope. He believes that we can pull this off with the help of our bionics. They are our lucky charm for this” Mike gave a glance to his partner, who just ignored him.

Damn yeah he has a clumsy bionic by his side. Whom he expected to be all great again on the mission. If there was a time to release all her talents, it was now.

**————**

“Sannes is by the bar, getting a drink” a static echoed right at his left ear after Mike spoke. Sure enough, he can see the target a good distance away from him and Abby.

It had been torture to him for the last two hours, trying not to shoot a death glare to everyone who came in their way. Glances were also directed to them, probably people thinking how wealthy he and his date are, but that is very far from reality. They were here for an undercover mission, possibly to kill someone if it was the worst case scenario.

“Target is on the move out” This time, Oriana was the one to speak. She had been standing on her post, casually chatting with a group of young men on a corner, while him and Abby stayed on the balcony. He figured it was the best spot, so he and Abby could be able to spy without any people watching their movements. She stood a good few meters away from him, a champagne glass in hand. If he didn’t know that she was a robot, he would have thought she was a princess.

_“It is quite flattering Levi, but please, I am a bionic not a robot”_ damn, he forgot about the mind link. _“Target moving towards the dance floor”_ She set her glass down on a tray of a server that passed by. His sight then followed Sannes, who indeed looked like he was about to socialize before he commits his crime.

“Levi” a sudden static made him wince and lean sidewards. Erwin’s voice came from the ear piece, booming and loud.

“Will you please be gentle?” he groaned.

“The dance is a waltz. Go to the middle with Abby” his eyes widened at the command.

“I thought we were supposed to go undercover? Not be the circus act?” he hissed. He wasn’t even sure if Abby can dance.

_“Downloading basic step sequence”_ he internally cursed. _“You know I can hear you right?”_

He gave her a single glance, and in a split second the two were already making a grand re-entrance from the flower clad staircase, to the dance floor. God knows he never learned how to skate, nor dance. It was going to be a disaster, specially when he did not know how to lead.

_“I’ll lead then”_ his eyebrows furrowed at her suggestion. _“Just make it look like I’m the follow when I’m actually leading”_ This is going to be a disaster. _“It won’t”_ her reassuring voice snapped him out of his negativity. _“It takes two to tango. As long as you are showing effort, the two of us can pull it through”_

He took one of her hands in his, his other arm supporting her back, while she grabbed his shoulder. She felt really warm, from the touch of her bare skin down her back. The heat seemed to envelope him as well, due to the piling circumstances. There was the pressure to dance, the lack of knowledge on why they are doing this, the number of eyes looking at them and only them. He knew he could not mess up and just get away with it. When Erwin has a plan, it always works, and he sure would not like to fail his second task. There will be a grave consequence if he slipped up on this one.

**_“I bust the windows out your car”_ **

His eyes widened at the sudden change of phase by the music. This was no waltz! Damn Erwin tricked him! 

**_“And no it didn’t mend my broken heart”_**  
Abby was quick to adjust, stepping sideways then right into a box step, the foundation of a tango. He silently prayed that his feet and body would let him sway with the flow. If he can shoot, fight, be acrobatically good, then perhaps he can also do an impromptu dance.

****_“I'll probably always have these ugly scars  
But right now I don't care about that part  
I bust the windows out your car”_

She suddenly leaned backwards, and he caught her out of reflex, a few claps erupting from the crowd. She then lifted herself up, and stared at him right in the eyes. Her hazel irises were also warm, like her body. On contrast to his cold grey eyes and cold demeanor.

_“Trust in me”_ it was as if she whispered inside his thoughts.

****_“After I saw you laying next to her  
I didn't wanna but I took my turn  
I'm glad I did it cause you had to learn”_

Her hips started to sway into the rhythm, his breath hitched. ‘She’s just a robot, not a human’ he reminded himself.

_“Again, I’m a bionic”_ She gave him a sinister smile and swayed even furiously against him. So she also knew the concept of teasing now. As she said, it takes two to tango, and it can also take two to play this game.

**_“I must admit it helped a little bit  
To think of how you'd feel when you saw it”_ **

He took a few steps away from her and let himself loose in the music. He watched her every move against the light, remaining focused on his partner as he put on the face everyone loved. A playful looking Levi who smirked and glowed under the spotlight.

****_“I didn't know that I had that much strength_  
But I'm glad you'll see what happens when  
You see you can't just play with people's feelings  
Tell them you love them and don't mean it  
You'll probably say that it was juvenile  
But I think that I deserve to smile” 

They met again, their faces dangerously close to each other, while he caressed one of her cheeks in a seducing manner at the back of his palm, before pushing her away with a twirl and pulling her back into his arms.

**_“I bust the windows out your car  
You know I did it cause I left my mark”_ **

He let her leaned backwards, slowly, and followed her till they were only inches away from the floor.

****_“Wrote my initials with a crow bar_  
And then I drove off into the dark  
I bust the windows out your car  
You should feel lucky that that's all I did” 

He pulled her back up, but never letting her free leg go. He brought it up to his waist level as her breath fanned out on his face. Their sweat started glistening like small beads through the light.

**_“After five whole years of this bullshit  
Gave you all of me and you played with it”_ **

They stood there, in a daze, lips a few centimeters away from meeting entirely. She was really keeping up a good act. From his view, it looked like she was sincerely attracted to him as well for the moment.

He slowly closed his eyes as the crowd cheered for them. He pulled it off, thanks to his amazing partner, although he still would not admit.

_“You don’t need to say it to my face”_ He saw her laughing as he opened his eyes. His breathing had barely turned to normal after fatigue and she was already laughing at him. Right, she isn’t human, he needed to get a grip.

“Hey short lover boy!” Mike’s voice echoed from his ear.

“What?” he asked with a groan.

“Target is already escaping towards the west wing. Oriana and I are on his trail, but we might need you on the opposite side” his eyes widened as he dragged Abby out of the dance floor.

“Shit” he cursed. “We are on our way”

**————**

He was already panting, trying to catch his breath whilst running, While Abby effortlessly jogged beside him with her usual smile. Either she is back to her old self, or adrenaline was rushing into her. But who knows? She is only a top class bionic with good acting skills and exemplary wits.

 _“Target has already reached the second floor”_ Abby had alerted him via the mind link. She was already effortlessly jumping from one step to another up the stairs, while he held unto the railings and silently cursed. Sure he was trained for cardio, but the dance had already slightly tired him. The running and jogging had taken its toll on him too. Days of no sleep, and no decent food due to his stress had surely caught up with him.

“Hey short stack, where are you? He’s already went out the terrace” Mike whispered from the other side of the intercom.

“This way Levi!” Abby peeked behind her to get a view of him as she turned towards the left.

“Already on the hallway you hairy beast” he responded, still trying to regain his normal breathing.

“Well hurry up!” he heard, before the line went dead.

They had no guns or knives to fight with, only two robots, or rather, bionics by their sides, and hand to hand combat skills. He aced the subject, and so did Mike, but the exact situation was never presented to them. They never knew how to apprehend Sannes the right way. There was a code, but he hoped the man did not carry a remote or any kind of bribing device with him or else the situation would be damned.

In all honesty, all he wanted for now is some rest and a cup of high grade tea. Everything in his life was already starting to set into place, his home and a stable but dangerous job. All he had to worry about now is Abby, and his budgeting.

“You fucktard! What are you doing?!” he winced as Mike’s booming voice rung in his ears.

_“Levi!”_ Abby soon after followed. He started to wonder why they were talking like he did something wrong. 

Then it dawned on him, he spaced out while walking. Abby, Mike and Oriana were no where to be seen, and Sannes was standing in front of him with a confused look. The now dark, and star clad sky behind the target.

“Can I, help you?” Sannes asked, a bit of hesitation evident with his tone.

He was shit with words, since then, he was never good with talking. He knew he would fuck up the first sentence that comes right out of his mouth, and he had no time nor patience to think about it logically. He gave away his most disinterested look and spoke.

“The code” he can already hear Mike’s face palm from his ear piece.

“The what?” his opponent tried to be innocent, and his brows furrowed in annoyance.

“You heard me” he growled. “The code”

“I have no idea what you are talking about” Sannes laughed, but he knew with the man’s tone that he was lying.

“Don’t shit with me. We know your plans for Trost and you are damned” the man smirked with his words. The intel was correct, the culprit had a plan in mind. Even if Sannes did not fire the missiles, he was already framed for stealing the code from the Factory city.

“So I suppose if I have the code, I’d just need to turn it over?” the man shrugged.

“Yes” he replied, although he already expected that there would be a catch. No villain was to succumb without a fight, not even in a fairy tale. 

Soon enough, a metal controller was brought out of Sannes’ back pocket, a huge red button laying between the metal pad and the man’s thumb, just a few centimeters away from getting pressed. He knew it, the code would already be transmitted into one accessible object.

“I was going to fire this along with the fire crackers so that all Reeve’s attention would be on his beloved town as it crumbles. But you stealing the show had backfired my plan. At this very moment, the scientists are already probably trying to change the code so I don’t have any time to spare. I’d just have to let him witness a destroyed city the next morning after he comes ‘home’” his teeth gritted at the statement, if he took another step, Sannes would surely press the button without hesitation.

_“Levi, distract him for a moment will you, I’m going in”_ He heard Abby from inside his mind.

_“What?!”_ He reacted in disbelief. _“What are you going to do?!”_ One single mistake, and the fate of the citizens of trost will vanish from their hands. He did not need a clumsy bionic right now, there must be another way.

_“Just trust me! It takes two remember?”_ he sighed, he had to trust her, just like how they did on the dance floor.

“Any last words?” A sinister smile sat on Sannes’ chapped lips, making him cringe. Sure the villain role fitted the man, but his over try to become intimidating when he wasn’t — At least for him — was awful.

Abby emerged from his peripheral vision, sneaking behind Sannes. He silently prayed that she succeed in her plans, as he tried to take his gaze away from her. 

“Yes” he replied, just to buy time.

“So what is it?” this, would probably be the dumbest antagonist we would know.

“Damn you little shit” Anger flamed from Sannes’ eyes. Surely, the once noble man could not take any insults.

“Why you-“ he was about to press the button, but Abby slapped it away just on time. She locked her hands on her wrists although she was failing miserably to hold the man due to him harsh movements.

He let his reflexes take over as he grabbed the remote from the ground, immediately putting it inside his pocket for safe keeping. Mike and Oriana had also emerged from one of the pillars behind him, stepping into the action.

“Fuck!” Abby yelped, one that greatly surprised him. She still held unto Sannes for a few good seconds before the taller man thrashed her to the side, whimpering. Although it is essential in work to finish the job first before thinking of yourself and your friends, he found himself rushing to his partner’s side while Mike and Oriana took care of Sannes.

Fury flashed in his eyes as Sannes dropped a steak knife down to the ground after getting pinned down by Mike. A gush of dark fluid rushed out of Abby’s left side, her eyes closed as if she was in pain. Maybe bionics can also feel pain once it reaches a certain intensity.

“Are you okay?” he crouch down beside her, pressing on her side and feeling the warmth. 

For one moment, he was sure that he saw red after staring at his ‘blood’ tainted hands, but it suddenly turned blue, as if it was oil or gas. Her cut seemed like it was flesh as well, his confusion, curiosity and shock mixing all together with the mystery.

“Abby-“ he was about to ask her if she can heal, but she had already passed out in his arms, only a rip on her dress leaving the area where she was stabbed. Her skin, already a clean and fixed slate. All the regeneration must have taken its toll on her just as he was tired. They both needed a rest, and good food.

“Levi, lets go” Mike motioned for him to carry Abby, and so he did, despite the girl being ten centimeters taller than him. And for a moment, he wasn’t sure if it was shock, or dismay he saw in Oriana’s eyes, although he did not know why.


	6. A Rest Fit for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Abby goes on the road again, but this time, not for a stressful mission. Or can it still be as stressful as a mission?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M ALIVE!!!
> 
> I apologize for not updating for three weeks? We just had our preliminary exams and I can say my grades are doing great! But I had to take a break from everything while I stuDIED hard please forgive me *sigh*
> 
> But anyways, I'M BACK!!! and I hope eveyone likes the new chappie! <3

**— Levi —**

Levi had woken up the next morning, feeling sore, his back hitting the hard floor after rolling off the cushions. He groaned in pain as his vision grew accustomed to the bright sunlight that seeped through the window, a fuzzy silhouette blocking his full view of the ceiling until his eyes finally adjusted. Abby was already staring at him from above with her wide doe eyes and usual eccentric smile. So she was back to ‘normal’, he guessed.

“Why sleep on the floor when you have a bed?” she asked, tilting her head to the side like she always does when she was curious. He furiously ran his hand over his hair and stood up.

“Because you took the bed” he hissed. “For two days straight” truthfully enough, it had taken her that long to recover, and he had enough courtesy to give his comfort to the bionic and opted to sleep in the couch instead. Except that he fell from the couch every morning, due to his locomotive sleeping habits.

“You could have slept with me” he choked with her words. “Is there something wrong?” she tilted her head to the side.

He shook his head furiously. Surely the bionic would not get the other reference.

“No, nothing is” he hissed, walking past her and straight to the kitchen to brew a fresh batch of Jasmine tea. Abby sat on one of the stools and propped her elbows on the counter, staring as if she was observing him make tea. “Cut it off will you” he gave her an annoyed look.

“What? I’m not even doing anything” 

“Quit staring” he groaned, tapping off excess leaves before dropping them to the filter paper. He then placed it neatly in the cartridge before setting the kettle on top of the boiler. 

His gaze settled back on her, who played with the tiny wisps of hair that fell on her forehead. She twirled the loose strands of hair on a finger while staring at it crossed eyed. Now she was back to her innocent demeanor, far from the teasing and taunting actress he saw on the dance floor about three days ago.

Peaceful, yes it was a peaceful morning after weeks and weeks of no rest. Although he woke up on the wrong side of the bed, — or couch, or the floor — it was admittedly a good morning. Sannes had been put to jail after final jurisdiction, his partner was now awake after a long recovery process, and he got another paycheck, with some compensation after accomplishing a highest ranking mission.

His kettle whistled and he gave his attention back to it. He brought out two tea sets, and carefully poured till three-fourths for both. He took a seat from across Abby and pushed the cup towards her. She gladly took the cup, letting it rest for a few seconds in her palms before taking a sip. He noticed the way her lenses suddenly clouded from the steam and he had the sudden urge to wipe them. Actually, he remembered all about her greasy hair and the way he would like to clean them too. Maybe he could ask her if she could take a bath then let her use the shower.

“Oi shitty glass-“ she cut her off.

“So I was thinking-“ she placed down the teacup quite harshly on the table. “-Maybe we can go to town today? I’ve been curious about the people and maybe we can buy things you need. Like, a rest fit for you perhaps?”

“Why would that be relaxing?” his eyebrows creased. Mitras was swarming with rich judgmental people, the price of everything is over the roof, and there was nothing but buildings and modern infrastructure around. It was more stressful for him than relaxing.

“Because we can breathe fresher air rather than the atmosphere of this environment which is sixty percent the smell of Clorox and Windex?” his frown became more prominent with her words, not knowing if she was teasing and joking, or not. “Please? It doesn’t have to be this town. Its your choice” she gave him a knowing look, one that she uses whenever she had been connected to him. She used the mind link again.

His cold gaze met her warm ones. A tug in his heart made him want to fulfill the girl’s request. Her eyes started to get more dilated, begging him like a lost puppy. He sighed and ran his palm through his face.

“Alright then” she let out a squeal “But, we are going to Dauper”

**————**

She didn’t seem to mind the new environment when they set foot on the gravel clad lands of the village. She was used to leveled pavements back in Mitras, but then again, the bionic survived skating on ice more than he did.

Her face was bright as usual, the big eccentric smile while she strolled around in front of him with her hands clasped behind her back. People gave her stares and attention, the poor village not being able to see someone like her on a regular basis. Sure the place was filthy, but it felt more closer to his heart. It felt more like home instead of the pristine surroundings of the Capital.

When he was still a trainee, this is where Eld, Gin, Oluo, Petra and him would go every weekend, once they got their allowance. It was a few minutes horse ride away from the head quarters and had everything they needed on a budgeted price. But what made this town special, is the quality of meat good for a low price.

Dauper is a village of hunters, therefore, people here sell boar, deer, pigeon and other kinds of meat sometimes, less than half of the price you et when it had already been exported to Mitras. Still, the village remained poor due to un-recognition by the central government. The exports remained low, while the imports remained high. All the merchants and nobles who facilitated the trade were never fair.

“Hey Levi” she turned towards him. “Are we even going to buy something here in the market?”

“Not yet, why?” he responded. Truthfully, they were going to buy, but he wanted to do all the errands before they went home. He just wanted to walk around the outskirts of Dauper and enjoy the breeze and fresh environment. The trees and forest which brought him solitude even then. It would be easier to roam around without the weight of various objects burdening them.

“Nothing” she brushed it off, but her gaze remained on a stall of books across them. So she wanted to read, but can’t she just download any information up her memory?

“We’ll get you some books later four eyes” her irises suddenly had a small sparkle in them.

“Really?!” it was as if her smile couldn’t get any larger.

“Yes. But of course, don’t go overboard our budget” He made his way past her, and it took her a few seconds to catch up to him. She was skipping right beside him, humming a tune he recognized as the song that played once they did the tango. He let out a ‘tsk’ and placed his arms crossed over his chest. He tried to ignore her merriness and the memories of her great seductive acting.

“So where are we going anyway?” he sighed, of her impatience and of relief that she stopped with the song.

The noise of the market slowly faded from behind them, the wide horizon staring in front of them that slowly became blocked with huge as trees. Yes the path was the same as he remembered, it would take them about twenty minutes walk towards the area.

“A lake” he nonchalantly replied.

“How long is it going to take?” she inquired, features mimicking a bored and impatient person.

“Twenty minutes. Thirty if you’re a slow ass” 

“I bet you I can get there in five” he raised his eyebrows.

“Funny four eyes. My clique and I can’t even reach that in five minutes when we ran. It took us at least ten” he remembered the way his training squad would fool around and challenge his every time they were on rest. Of course, he would always beat them effortlessly. 

Eld had asked to be deployed in Trost to stay close to his fiancée despite graduating second in their class. He had also declined on having a bionic and opted to be a patrol police officer instead. Gin was deployed in Trost as well, but as a local detective. He was gifted a partner bionic as well from what he had heard, after graduating eighth in class. He received a rank eight bionic named Destiny, one who took form of another girl; pale, had grey eyes and dark hair that was tied into two pigtails. Oluo and Petra are deployed at Ermich, the two opting to become partners since they were training, and so they did.

“I swear I can get their in five” she let out a chuckle.

“No you can’t” he answered firmly, believing in his own stand.

“Well I’ll see you there then?” a different kind of smile replaced the one on her lips. One that challenged him, taunted him, like the tango.

“Shit” he inwardly cursed, remembering the way he nearly kissed a non-human being.

“Don’t keep me waiting there. Okay Levi?” then, two consecutive clicks came from her. It damned on him, she had brought out her blades and started to skate on the dirt. 

He scowled, seeing her silhouette getting smaller and smaller each second. She played dirty, cheating.

“Fuck you!” he yelled, starting to run after her, while she loudly cackled, echoing throughout the forest.

**————**

“Oh, you’re here” she stood up from the stump she was sitting on while he crouched down partially, trying to catch his breath. “That was tiring” she stretched her arms above her head and let out a fake yawn.

“You don’t say” he replied, pissed. The girl had no means of getting tired, except if he didn’t give her the right doze of food, and if she needed to regenerate greatly. Meanwhile, he would run stairs and already be tired, cons of being a human.

“This place is pretty” she declared, walking away from him and staring at the distance.

He slowly lifted his gaze from the ground, a serene and peaceful view greeting him. The lake was illuminated by the afternoon sun, grass and trees swaying with the fresh breeze. It was quiet, except for the whispers of the wind you can hear when it passes by. Yes, this was really the rest fit for him.

“Yahoo!” her sudden shriek had snapped him out of his daze. The sudden splashed of cold water hitting him and making him shiver. Abby had already jumped in the water and swam around. So she can take a bath?

He stared as she splashes around, with her full suit and shoes. He knew she can change her outfit but he never knew what was underneath. Not that he wanted to know, or maybe he was a little curious.

 _“You can strip and swim along with me”_ He heard her, yet she was already under water. He couldn’t make out her facial features if she was trying to tease him, but her voice indicated so.

“No” he huffed.

 _“Oh come one, I won’t judge”_ She poked her head out of the water, spitting some excess right out of her mouth like a mini fountain. She gave him the usual smile, but this time, accompanied by the doe eyes. He wasn’t sure if he knew that her moves affected him, but she most likely did, given the mind link.

All he did was sigh, before removing his jacket and folding it neatly before placing it beside the stump. He did it for the rest of his clothes, placing them into one neat pile until he was left with nothing but boxers. He could have sworn he saw her eyeing at him while he stripped, but then she was already under water when he stepped foot into the lake.

The cold water slowly enveloped his skin, from his thighs to his upper torso. She laughed at him as he stepped on a shallow part of the water, yet it was already till his waist, while they stopped at her thighs. He let out a grumpy scowl as she made fun of his height once again, his hand moved on reflex and gave her a splash right at the face. Her laughter only grew stronger as she returned the favor, splashing bigger puddles unto his face until he could not breathe.

“Fuck!” he yelled, furiously wiping off his face as she backstroked away from him, clutching her stomach while chuckling. “I’ll get you for that you know” he hissed.

“Try if you can shorty” a smirk made its way unto her lips. Truthfully enough, the water was already up to her chin from where she stood, clearly already beyond his height.

“Fuck you!” he growled.

“You can’t! I’m a bionic!” his cheeks grew scarlet and warm on contrast to the water. Her cackle filling the air once more. So she knew he sometimes had lewd feelings and thoughts. “Its okay Levi, I know I look like an above the average example of my sex” she wiggled her eyebrows.

“Above average my ass!” he yelled from the side of the lake, already on his way to rise from the water.

**————**

She gladly skipped side by side with him, not minding his presence at all as if she did not make sexual jokes with him a few hours ago. She was back to her usual eccentric demeanor, and him, to his scowl while they strolled on the swarmed streets of Dauper.

She picked the first store, insisting that buying books first would be efficient than brooms. And of course, he promised to her beforehand, that he would allow her to pick a paperback or two. 

Her eyes seemed to twinkle again after spotting the same merchant sitting on one of the stalls lazily, like earlier. It was a wonder how the old man didn’t loose his business being so laid back like that. He had known the man since he and his old squad came to Dauper every break.

“Hello!” The old man straightened up from his chair and sat up as Abby startled him. Pixis’ cheeks were still flushed red, the stall reeking of cheap liquor like he remembered it.

“Y-yes, can I help you?” the man rubbed his eyes, seeming really disoriented. On times like these, normally, his daughter named Anka wouldtake over then scold her father while attending to Petra’s inquiries. But now, he noticed her disappearance and the change in Pixis’ eyes. It mirrored sadness, and the smell of alcohol indicated something toxic, not fun. 

“Where’s Anka?” Levi Absent-mindedly blurted out, making Pixis freeze on the spot. Abby, dropped the leather bound book she was skimming back on the table, and directed her attention back to the men, despite having her eyes directed unto other books.

“Gone” Pixis sighed. “I suppose you aren’t from town if you haven’t heard about the girl who sold herself to the reaping just so her poor old father could have some more cash to ‘fool around’ with” he bitterly laughed.

“The reaping” Levi’s eyebrows furrowed. Just like in his orphanage a long time ago, Isabel was taken away against her will, and Farlan also died because of it. But for poor villages and towns, families often sell their children to authorized priests, who come once a year. Most of them were girls, as the patriotic society believed men were superior and girls were nothing but good for marriage. A concept he always hated. 

He never thought that someone would actually voluntarily be sold, but now that he heard about Anka’s story, it was possible.

“You know each other?” Abby tilted her head to the side, glancing at both men back and forth, and she picked out two books from the mix in front of her. Pixis took them and packaged them carefully, not even looking towards Levi nor his costumer in the process.

Levi can tell that the man was really heart broken. The father and daughter duo was known to be comical during his training days. She always looked out for her dad after he suffered a great loss due to his wife’s death after a plague. He blamed himself, not making enough money as a book merchant to have her treated. Ad now that he lost Anka, Levi knew that Pixis’ heart broke, and that he would blame himself greater this time around.

“He’s Dot Pixis” Levi simply replied.

“And you’re Levi. Same stoic and cold attitude as always” Pixis replied with no energy. “But I guess we’re the same now. We care less because we lost the people who are most important to us” the man let out a faint smile, wrinkles forming around his eyes and chin. Levi only frowned upon the words. “Incase you wanted to know, the reaping for this year is commencing at the Plaza. If you want to watch, you may still make it in time. Many families are planning to sell out their daughters this year. Consequences of the higher trade price due to Lobov”

Only a ‘tsk’ was his answer. He handed the old man a few dollars in exchange for Abby’s goods. The man man’s eyes widened after realizing that Levi gave him a few extras, but Levi already turned his back and went away before Pixis could say anything.

He hated the reaping above all things. This is why he became a cop in the first place, to find out where the children who are kidnapped or sold went. He wanted to retrieve Isabel, if there is a chance, and he had never forgotten about his ultimate goal.

“Its a baby!” Abby had suddenly dropped her books to his chest, making him grasp it in surprise. He scowled and tried to scold her, but she was already running towards the plaza, towards the line where parents put on a brave face, and tried to ignore their children who kept on asking where they were going.

“Abby!” he growled, chasing after the girl, but she was already in front of a woman who held a small child in her arms. 

“Hello I’m Abby” she cooed towards the child who was innocently sleeping, not knowing what would happen to her. He eyed at the mother, who only stared at the ground while her eyes evidently welled up with tears. “You are going to grow up beautiful, smart, and strong”

“Abby no” Levi tried to pull her back, but she just stuck her tongue out at him and continued to play with the child.

“Sir” he whipped his head towards the woman’s direction. The mother had called out to him as her tears started to stream from her face. “If you are one of the nobles who are going to select children to raise. Please pick my Gabi and let her grow up healthy”

A pang of pain hit his heart. He knew how it felt like to loose a mother, and now, he’s seeing the pain of a mother loosing a child. If society wasn’t this cruel, if life wasn’t hard, then the woman would have raised the child on her own. But instead, she sold her daughter, thinking the child would be taken care of, when in reality, they never knew where the children went.

“Can she be my baby?” Levi froze with Abby’s question, she damn well didn’t know what mess she was getting into.

“Yes please! Take her!” The mother started to shove the child in Abby’s arms, which took her by surprise and made her flinch back beside him.

“Take mine too!” Another one shoved a girl of three to the both of them.

“No get mine please I need it!” He took a step back and clutched Abby’s wrist. It is not that he didn’t want a child, nor did the fact that the girl was a bionic, but the idea of sold children really makes him sick. And he hated the situation at the moment.

Three soon turned to five, then a dozen, then all. The plaza was a total chaos, everyone was trying to bid their children towards him and Abby. There was no escape from all desperate parents, they were surrounded.

“Shit!” He cursed.

“Levi! What is happening” she looked panic, searching in his own eyes for some sort of comfort, although she knew he could never give that. He was equally confused and dazed as her.

He started to look for any kind of opening, one that would not have any casualties, but he couldn’t find one. Children were already crying left and right after getting dragged and pushed around, making his ear drums almost explode. This was not relaxing at all.

“Levi, let me carry you” Abby spoke, after they were already getting pressed by the crowd back to back.

“Are you shitting me” No, his ego would not let him be carried by a woman. Fucking patriarchal society and norms.

 _“Then we beat the norm, we were never normal anyway. I’m a bionic, and you’re an abnormal shorty”_ Although annoyed by her statement, she was right.

He gave her a small nod and sighed. A few clicks later, he was already carried by her, bridal style. She was gliding effortlessly through the crowd, ducking, crouching and sometimes, bending left and right to avoid anyone. She gracefully skated, till the crowd was only like a small apocalypse they finally escaped. She finally set him down on a less busier street, one where stall were already starting to get closed down. His feet hit the pavement and all the rage suddenly went up his blood stream.

“Why did you do that?! Why can’t you think of your fucking actions before you do things?! You always get us in trouble, you are so useless, clumsy and stupid!” he ran his hands through his hair. “For once, can you shut up and do things right!?” he blew up.

But then all of those, turned into regret as he saw her eyes suddenly well up with tears… Till he remembered that she was just a heartless bionic.

“Don’t fucking give me that shit!” the tears started to stream down her face. “You are such a good actress and I applaud you for that. But guess what? I’m not buying your shit! Because you aren’t even human so stop acting like one!”

“I’m sorry” she croaked out, wiping her tears away with her palms, one after another. 

It never stopped, the pure and seemingly real beads that rolled down her cheeks. He almost found himself touching it, wanting to wipe it away. But he stopped himself.

“Fucking hell!” he screamed in frustration, almost pulling his hair out in the process. God knew he didn’t mean it, but he was always shit with words, and he hurt her regardless if it was real or not. “J-just”

The light illuminated from the corner of his eye, seeping from the window of a warm looking place. The wind suddenly blew and he shivered, as if feeling the cold shoulder he gave her. Worry shot through his veins, seeing her crying still. He pulled her gently to the shack and sighed.

“Two rooms for tonight please” he inquired at the desk, right after the chimes and the padding of their feet to the wooden floors stopped. He had no energy to argue, no right mind and words to apologize, and no strength to see her after being so mean to her. He just wanted to rest, not because he was tired of her, he will never be tired of her. He was tired of himself, and the thoughts that decided to bug him each and every time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always guys, thank you for the support! <3 I love everyone who had taken the time to read my work, specially those who leave me little gifts like kudos and comments (yep I consider them a gift). THANK YOU!! You all give me motivation to write despite personal stress! <3
> 
> Also, if no one remembers Anka, she's the brunette/ginger girl who always takes care of Pixis.
> 
> MORE LOVE TO YOU PEOPLE! AND BABIES <3


	7. He Who Lurks in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his guilt eating him up, Levi apologizes to Abby, and realizes she has done more for him than he ever thought. And she will do another one in his favor.

**— Levi —**

He tossed and turned for the uncountable time on the small as bed he laid on. It was soft and comfortable, but it couldn’t give his mind some rest that his body was already begging for. No it had no match for the guilt that was starting to eat him up at the dark of the night. Despite not knowing if the bionic’s tears are real, he still knew that Abby didn’t deserve to get yelled on after saving the both of them from a possible town’s folk stampede. He needed to thank her, not tell her she was some stupid junk. Sure, Abby had her quirks and mistakes, but it would not outweigh the times she had been a good and protective partner to him.

His feet hit the cold floor, rough wood against his soles as he reached out for his button down that was hung on a chair. He was not going to let day break without him apologizing, he just couldn’t.

He let out a sigh as he stood in front of her temporary doorstep, one across his own. Everything sounded so peaceful, silent and undisturbed. He just hoped she would get to listen to his words, even if it will sound like he doesn’t mean it due to the permanent sarcastic and sassy tone of his voice.

“Abby” he knocked gently on the mahogany. “I’m sorry” although it sounded nonchalant to others, he swore that he was sincere. “You know I’m shit with words, so I don’t want to fuck up and say something more I don’t mean… again. So I’m sorry, and please forgive the asshole that I am” he breathed out, finally getting half of the weight out of his chest.

He was still half troubled, wanting to get a response from the girl, yet failing to do so. He was starting to miss the mind link, and hoped that she would at least suddenly intrude his thoughts to whisper that she had indeed forgave him.

“Abby, please?” he pleaded, forehead lightly tapping on the door in frustration. “You are the best partner I could ever have. Sure you had mistakes, but I equally fucked up on my own accord too. I apologize” 

Still, silence greeted him, yet he couldn’t loose his patience, no one who apologizes asks for pardon in a rude way. He needed to suppress his temper, if he really wanted her to be good with him again.

“Abby” he knocked twice, yet still only the breeze swept through his ears and slightly growing hair. 

Strike one on his impatience meter.

“Abby” his tone rose, knocks increasing to five.

Strike Two.

“Tabitha” he groaned, placing his palm against the wooden door.

_“Let me sleep”_ a very tired voice responded inside his mind, one that got him shook.

_“Abby! I’m so sorry”_ he thought hard, hoping it would reach her.

He wasn’t sure if the wind decided to enter his brain, or he heard a sigh, but soon after, an equally tired looking bionic partner opened the door for him. Right, bionics need sleep too.

“Can I help you with something?” she yawned, acting like she doesn’t care about his apology.

“Don’t give me that crap Tabitha” he went past her and entered her room. The moonlight seeped through her window better than on his side of the shack. Despite her view having more houses on the distance than his, the angle of the silver moon glowed best in it. “Are you going to forgive me or not?” he crossed his arms on his chest.

“My dear partner that is not how a person apologizes” she placed her fists on her petite waist, acting sly.

“Well you said we were never normal anyway right four eyes?” he shot back at her, remembering her comment from earlier while they escaped the crowed.

“Don’t get back at me with my own words” she glared at him, one that seemed like her eyes truly conveyed emotions again. She was on best actress mode again.

“Then I’m really sorry” he sighed, running his hand through his hair in frustration. God knows he was never good with dealing with stuff like this, apologizing and asking for sorry. “I’m a shitty, dumb person and you are really smart. So please forgive me. Or do you want me to do something for you? Like clean your mess or cook? Just something you know I’m good at so I don’t fuck up, just please forgive me-“ he stopped midway at pacing when he noticed that her attention was far away from him. His palms hit his forehead as he swooped it down his face and angrily stared at her. “Are you even listening to-“ just as he was about to sneer at her, he was pushed backwards.

Abby had lunged in front of him, some form of smoke emitting from her left wrist that she used to shield her face from something that deflected right to the wall. It dawned on him, if she had not done what she just did, he could have been hit straight at the back of his head or right at his forehead.

“Fuckin hell!” she winced, flailing her hand up and down until the smoke stopped. A small but quite deep dent had stayed there, right at the middle where a human’s vein would normally be. Thank God the girl was made of metal, she would have died in an instant if she wasn’t.

His eyes had followed to the wall, where a lone single bullet was stranded and stuck. He wasn’t even a single bit horrified given that his Job would really be a risk, but it still couldn’t register to him that he let his guard down so much, if he didn’t have a partner by his side, he would have probably been already dead.

“Little rat spotted at ten o’clock” Abby was quick to her feet, as if she wasn’t just hit a few moments ago. In the blink of an eye, she was already on the streets, after jumping out the window which was now shattered by the shot.

“Fuck the paperwork and bills” he hissed, brushing off his thoughts about spending his paycheck on paying the shabby shack and focusing on chasing the culprit.

He quickly backtracked where Abby had went and ran as fast as he could to follow her. He again despised the cardio work as it tired him up quickly like their chase with Sannes in the Utgard Castle about a week ago. He’d rather be steady and own a tea shop, but he became a cop for a purpose, and he needed to bear with everything else while he had not yet fulfilled his true duty.

_“Some tall ass teen culprit, about 175 cm in height and has ash blonde to dark brunette transitioning hair”_ Abby spoke via the mind link. Yes, he missed her intrusions, especially at moments when her voice actually made sense.

_“Then lets catch up on him and make him feel constipated for days for shitting with us”_ he smirked, adrenaline starting to pump up on his veins.

_“On it”_ Abby shifted her feet and clicked her heels till her blades appeared. She would be immensely faster than the culprit now, and there was a really high chance they could keep up.

He followed the thug as they run from alley way to another, occasionally jumping from stairs and roofs when needed. He wasn’t sure what way Abby decided to take, but he damn trusts her intuition and ideas on missions, and he was sure she’d find her way back around with a master plan in mind.

The boy was evidently taller then him, but the stature and built tells him that the culprit was a cocky eccentric teen, one that annoyed him the most. He didn’t give two shits about it, and was determined to get his supposed killer. Who sent the boy, and why was he sent.

He whipped out his small dagger that was always secured by his waist band incase of emergencies. If the boy had a gun, it could be used against him any moment, specially when the culprit is already desperate to get away.

As predicted, they landed on a semi-wide dead end hall way and the boy wasted no time but to turn around and shoot him. He quickly deflected the bullet on his own this time, using his trusted knife. He then twisted it in the way that he was comfortable to use it, and deflected more bullets that he could, except for one that unluckily got to graze his face.

The sting immediately made him wince, as he backed up momentarily and touched oozing warm blood with his fingers. It was filthy, and he disliked it, yet it gave him more will power to put his opponent down, anger boiling up each second.

“You can’t shit with me you brat” he hissed, lunging at the teen and throwing off the pistol from the boy’s hands in a split second.

Just in time, he saw a small spark from above as his grey eyes met the boy’s yellowish hazel ones. Abby had emerged from above with some sort of lasso she must have picked up on the way and tied up the boy in one quick motion.

“Sorry I’m-“ she stared at him, an emotion he couldn’t quite get. “I’m sorry” her gaze lowered down to the ground, which utterly confused him. She felt guilty? Or sad? Of what?

“Let me go you freaks!” he stared at the boy with uttermost hatred, one that evidently made the teen frightened. He was going to give his killer a few kicks, but his fatigue decided to be merciful and just harshly grab the boy by the hair.

“Who the fuck are you and why the hell did you want to kill me?” he growled.

The boy did not need to respond, Abby who seemed like she was in deep thought a few moments ago, suddenly spoke.

“Jean Kirschtein, known for being a freelance worker by whoever needs him. Dirty or not. He already had past run ins with the law ever since he was six, but they couldn’t arrest him since he was a minor. Now, it seems like he became a bigger problem for the local police as he grew up. He’s called the shadow for being quick, always uncaught by the police” she briefed.

He crouched down to the level of the boy. Sure Kirschtein was taller than him, but the teen’s kneeling state gave him room to intimidate with height and stares.

“P-please don’t” He stopped midway of planning punches for revenge with Jean’s trembling voice entered his senses. “I will talk, I promise I will. Just don’t hurt me” he swore he saw tears drop along with the boy’s pleads.  
“And why should I spare you when you attempted to fuck with my life?” he harshly remarked.

“Because my mother is still waiting for me” then, the world almost stopped for him, the phrase tugging at his heart. “She is awfully sick, the reason why I had to be like this is because I wanted my mama to be well” he did too, with his own mother. “She’s slowly getting better I can feel it! But if I get turned over to the cops, she’d go back to her old state. I don’t want to see her coughing up blood in the middle of the day again please!” the pleads turned into desperate begging, and it hit him on one of his sensitive areas.

“Levi?” He froze, seemingly deaf despite Abby’s voice calling out his name. She stayed silent and looked at him in the eyes, she was reading his thoughts.

He lost his mother to sickness, it was the reason why he became an orphan in the first place. It was the first and main reason why his life was fucked up. If given a chance, he too, would help his mother get better, whatever it takes. He’d surely end up having the same path as this boy too. He had sympathy for Jean, and it was telling him that the right thing to do, is to do what the law states is wrong.

“Let him go” he calmly instructed Abby. She just gave him a small nod and loosened the ropes.

Jean sat still in fear, palms hitting the pavement as he tried to stop his cries. Levi could not fathom to stare at the boy in pity, because he knew it wasn’t what the teen needed in the moment.

“Leave” he whispered as the boy met him in the eye. “Take your mother to the head quarters between Hermina and Trost, look for Erwin Smith or Mike Zacharias. Tell them Levi Ackerman sent you. They will help you in exchange for your skills in the work area” 

Jean’s eyes seemed to have sparkled from hope, one that he wished to have seen in the mirror whan he was a child. He wanted to see a saved child before, one that had not lost innocence in a young age. But at least, he was doing it for the youth now. What he had not experienced before, he wanted the boy to get.

“Thank you” Jean whispered his thank yous and slowly crawled to Levi’s feet.

“Stand up brat!” the boy did just what he was told. “Leave come day break, I’ll make sure they already know. Now go!” 

He stared as the teen quickly disappeared in the shadows, happiness masking the boy’s eyes. He had done good, and he hoped his mother had seen what he just did. Although Kuchel wasn’t physically with him at the moment, she was with him wherever he went, in his special place for her in his heart.

“Your mother will be very proud of you Levi” Abby breathed out from beside him.

He finally felt at peace, and rested. A small smile had made its way unto his lips, one that he would not just let anyone see. Everything was perfect for the night, he felt like one of the major troubles in his mind had finally been lifted.

“Fucking finally” he chuckled out softly.

**————**

“I hope you do know that we aren’t a charity foundation Levi” Erwin greeted him as soon as his eyes fluttered open against the bright sunlight. “Also, we don’t have unlimited budget and that laziness isn’t tolerated in this institution”

He groaned and turned from his bed to look at the clock. It was already one in the afternoon, indicating the overslept despite the shack being a mess with glass shards scattered on the floor and a bullet stuck to the wall.

“Quit the crap Erwin. Stop acting like your budget is tighter than your ass” he grumpily responded, being disturbed from his very rare long rest only to be scolded.

“I am still your superior Levi” Erwin sighed. “I do get that you sent this Kirschtein kid because of emotional connection but that is not professional. The way you also make your casualties get paid by me and the fact that you’ve missed twenty seven of my calls is also not professional around the work environment” 

“I know, I am held liable for my own responsibilities so give me a damn rest. Also, I’m still pissed at you for shitting with me and making me unnecessarily dance at the ball during the last mission” he hissed.

“I can’t really sway you Levi, can I?” Erwin can’t help it but to just chuckle on the other end of the line. “Well then as always, as your friend. I will keep Jean Kirschtein’s whereabouts anonymous to Zackley and the board. Everything will be going according to what you think is right. A job well done again soldier. You have just eliminated one of Dauper’s greatest thief, runner and hired killer”

His forehead creased upon hearing the last phrase. He had forgotten to confront the boy about who had wanted to kill him.

“Have you found out who wanted me under the ground?” he sat up, mind finally awake and out of the sleeping and rest state.

“Be thankful Abby answered my calls when you failed to” the Commander responded. “Since Abby said that you haven’t found out about that, we asked Kirschtein. To our surprise, he didn’t also know. He just said that a large sum of cash was left at his door step and instructions written on a paper to have you killed. He had also submitted the proof to us, meaning the letter and money. We are still on the process of determining who’s handwriting is on the parchment”

His fingers made its way unto his temples trying to think of a person who he had wronged recently. It couldn’t be Sannes since the dick’s already at Zackley’s custody. But it could be one of his goons, who knows.

“We’ll update you with the status once we get the results” 

“Alright then” he sighed.

“Oh and Levi” based on Erwin’s tone, he knew it would be something serious. “I had also taken note that you and Abby saw the reaping in Dauper? Just incase you wanted to know. According to the priests, the reaping in Trost is in two days”

Levi froze.

“I do hope you think about it thoroughly before you make an act. Good day Levi”

There was no hesitations for him, he was going back to his hell hole, the orphanage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you were able to guess Jean before his name was revealed, CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE A CERTIFIED AOT FAN I AM PROUD OF YOU BABIES <3
> 
> Currently, my schedule isn't hectic so you can expect weekly updates again yay! There will be more action, more drama and more laughter (I hope I can actually be funny as I try to be). And again and again, I love you all for the support <3 SML!!!! <3
> 
> Till the next update! :D


	8. Small Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi has only one agenda in going back to his hell hole or orphanage in Trost, it is to set things straight with the Pastor and make things right. Yet with Abby, he is side tracked with her fascination with children and things, he never knew he needed himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Yes I am alive! and as usual, school is my excuse forgive me! :( But my hard work had paid off since I'm already running for dean's list after they showed us the prelim and midterms grades I feel so happy :D

**— Levi —**

“So how many kids are there? Are there babies? How many are girls and how many are the boys?” Levi swore he was starting to get annoyed with his awesome yet eccentric partner yet again. Yes he admitted that she was awesome, but only because she practically forced him to. She could read his mind if ever he backstabbed her, and the mind link was becoming another nuisance to him yet again.

“I told you, I had just come out of training, I have no idea about the census or any shit happening in the orphanage right now” he rolled his eyes.

“Still! You came from that orphanage, you are bound to know what’s happening there right now” truth be told, he should, but his hatred for the priest that headed the hell hole made him want to forget about the place. Even so, he had to care for the children who were left there, he didn’t want them to suffer the same mishap he experienced and witnessed years ago. Not only to lose friends, but a brother and a sister.

Abby had no knowledge of his grudges against his ‘home’ for quite some time. She did not know of Farlan and Isabel, and despite of his trust for his partner, he had no plans of telling her just yet.

The carriage that had been riding did not need to hit a bad pavement to bounce. He can already feel Abby’s giddiness with the up and down motion their ride had been going through for the past hours. Through Erwin’s blessing and kindness, they both had a carriage to ride on towards the orphanage, and a few supplies for the kids to enjoy. Of course the good were a collective of the kind hearts of his colleagues including Mike, and he was sincerely grateful for it. He may not have visited the orphanage in a long time, but his compassion and care for the children there remained. He was sure they’d be delighted with the new clothes, blankets, sweets and toys that were in the back wagon.

“Are we there yet?” Abby asked impatiently, smile never faltering from her lips. He concluded that she must really love children, she also did freak out in town upon seeing a baby. Abby could be another playmate to the kids while he was busy with his investigations, it would be very convenient that the kids and Abby are entertained while he minded his own business.

“Just two more hills and you’ll see the gate to the town of Trost” he replied to her, still keeping his eyes on the road. He maneuvered the steed himself, declining Erwin’s offer of a driver beforehand. He did not want any witness or another innocent victim to be at the scene while he was at it.

“I know that silly, I’m a Bionic, I have an internal map” he turned to his partner annoyed, with a brow raised in an arch.

“Then why did you ask then?” he scoffed.

“Because your annoyed face is so amusing” her smile became wider, which he did not only find weird, but also a strange feeling he cannot quite make up.

“Quit shitting with me shitty glasses” he hissed at her as she chuckled.

**————**

“Levi!” Those kids whom by now, are at the age of nine and above, came rushing to him. They were the ones who were still left unadopted ever since he left the place. And as usual, they were all boys.

“Hello” he touched one of the boys’ head and ruffled the hair. He was never one to be affectionate with others, but he knew these children were just longing for family and love, like he did, or even now.

The younger ones stared at him from a far, some hiding behind the orphanage’s big doors, most of them young girls of ages two to six. Despite telling himself to e compassionate, he can’t help it but be pitiful knowing that the girls would not last another day or two if he had not come to the hell hole. It was making him determined to save them, to not let them experience the same pain he went through years ago.

“Hello! I’m Abby” Abby had jogged right over to his side, staring at awe at the children who surrounded them. The boys looked at her with equal admiration, so as the girls who some, shyly started to approach the commotion slowly. 

“Tall woman!” Tom, a boy of nine told her, and her smile became impossibly larger.

“Hewo!” A small girl of two whom he did not recognize approached the bionic and tugged at her leg. Abby gladly took the small and frail child up to her arms and lifted the girl who started chuckling.

“Aren’t you a cutie!” She booped the child’s nose and laughed along. She was really charismatic, even with children, he thought.

She was pulled by the children towards the orphanage, while he stood there staring and being observant. A million thoughts running through his head which he did not dare speak of with her. Maybe someday, but not today.

“Glad to see you visiting Levi” a familiar voice approached from his right. His eyebrows automatically met as he turned to face the figure.

“I cannot say the same, Pastor Nick” he nonchalantly answered.

“Still a straight forward kid I see” the Pastor snickered. “Are you glad to see your home again? Happy to see the kids at least? There are new ones that had been sent here after the outbreak of Scarlet Fever two months ago, those whose parents died. The youngest is a baby girl of five months, and of course, I do hope you remember the boys such as Tom and Jo-“

“Quit with the crap will you?” he growled “You know exactly why I’m here”

“Why I certainly do not have an updated list of your whereabouts Levi. Care to enlighten me?” He knew the priest was taunting him, with the smirk plastered across the bastard’s face.

He hated that he knew the truth, he hated the system. The pastors who head orphanages receive grant for every girl they sacrifice from their orphanage. Money that they keep in their pockets for a personal gain. He had witnessed the negotiations after reaping during his stay in the hell hole, and he knew he had to stop it ever since then. 

“Stop the bullshit, I’m here to make sure you don’t trade any of those girls like cattle again” the saddest part, is no one knows where the girls went after they are taken. He never knew where Isabel had gone to, but he was going to find out.

The priest laughed, a boisterous one, one that had the anger burn up in him more than he expected. His fists had made its way to the friar’s collar, lifting the much older and taller man from the ground, yet the man’s expression never changed, still an amused and teasing one.

“I always knew you were a smart kid Levi” Pastor Nick said with a smirk, while his own lips crumpled into a pissed looking one. “Unfortunately for you, I also don’t know where the girls head to. I get paid, I don’t care, as simple as that”

Despite wanting to punch the pastor’s face till he breaks a nose or jaw, he let the old man go, but kept a stern look.

“However-“ the priest stopped him before he could turn his back. “-I am willing to help you, as long as I still get my share”

Even if he was going to deal with a devil dressed as an angel, he was going to take the chance, and do whatever it takes to get justice, to get back Isabel.

**————**

“Levi!” Tom, was once again, the first to greet him once he entered the orphanage’s common room. He reached out for the boy’s head again and gave his hair a ruffle for the second time around during the day.

“Small pwince!” the girl, who he recognized as the one who first clung unto Abby during their arrival approached him. Although quite offended by the young one’s words, he sighed it off and picked up the girl to his arms.

“You brat, be thankful you are cute” he whispered, which made the girl giggle.

“I suppose Gabi has a new favorite now?” Abby pouted, crouching down to get a good view of the child in his arms. Gabi immediately mimicked her sad expression so the bionic was quick to retract back to a goofy face which made the child laugh. She was really a natural with kids.

“You awe still my favowite Abby! I just like pwinces” the girl responded, obviously still not taught how to properly speak.

“Thank you Gabi! Don’t call the prince small though, he gets a little grumpy” Abby chuckled, which he only rolled his eyes onto.

“I see that you two have a really soft spot for children” Pastor Nick enters the room which he tensed up upon hearing.

“Yes I really do I love them! Children were not allowed to enter in the Lab where I rested and was made. I am glad to see them while I’m out and not doing work. They are so adorable!” Abby responded, booping Gabi’s small nose.

“Well if small children perk up your mood, then I suppose a baby will too?” The priest initiated with a grin.

“You have a baby in here?!” Abby excitedly jumped.

“Yes, the only one!” The pastor chuckled. “Leelu is in the nursery room, you can come with me if you’d like to see her” Without batting a lash, Abby was hot on the pastor’s trail. He set down the child in his arms and followed the ever enthusiastic bionic towards a different room.

The nursery was serene and calm when they entered. Walls tainted pink and white, with a soft trail of sunlight seeping through the mesh curtains. A single crib was placed on the side of the room, adorned with a baby mobile above it. And from in it, the soft coos of a child can be heard.

Abby had entered in silence, yet her smile cannot hide the excitement she was feeling. Pastor Nick gently lifted the baby from its cot and handed it out to the female bionic who was with them. She took the baby into her arms with care and started to admire its small features, starting from the eyes, the nose, the lips, and finally, the hands, which were lightly wrapped around her pinky.

“Levi, she’s so small. Look at her small hands” Abby giggled in a whispering manner. He couldn’t help himself but smile upon the sigh he was seeing.

If the world wasn’t such a messed up place, then he would love to make up every morning with a scene like this. A family he could call his own. But he shook his head and drifted his thoughts away from the matter. It was not the time to think of things like those when he had a dirty job to finish the next few days.

“Trost is a fairly rich area, but not as rich as Mitras. Unfortunately, people here are career centered and tend to leave children behind. Leelu was only three months old when she was sent here, she’s now five months. I do hope that someone does adopt her, or else-“ Levi looked at the priest with a piercing stare.

“Or else what?” Abby lifted her gaze from the small child and directed it towards the two men.

“Then she’d have to grow up without a family” Levi then eased his stare upon the priest’s diversion.

“How awful” Abby replied with her smile dropping. “At least I had my father when I first saw the world” a faint smile made its way back to her face.

“Pardon? I recall that bionics are actually built not given birth to?” the Pastor inquired.

“Yes, yes we are. but I’d rather refer to my creator as my father and not a progenitor. He had given me life and taken care of me till I was ready to have a partner” she quickly retorted, admiration for Zeke apparent in her eyes.

“I see, yet isn’t it strange how you have human like features? Even your skin looks real. I’m impressed”

“Sir, as much as I’d like to be human, I don’t have a heart” her grin turned into something more remorseful and sad, which his mood suddenly joined up to. He felt no pity for his partner, but irritation from the insensitive priest.

“Well I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll leave you two for now if that’s okay?” Abby was the one to signal wth a nod. “Then, I’ll see you in the evening when dinner is set”

He watched as the Pastor left the room, closing the door gently as not to startle the baby in the room. When his gaze went back to Abby, she was admiring Leelu once again.

“Children are beautiful don’t you think?” he started to pad his way closer to her, while intently listening to every word the bionic was saying. “Sure all babies do is eat, poop, pee, sleep, repeat, but they are blessings” 

“You have an awfully grave fascination for tiny brats four eyes” he scoffed at her as she chuckled.

“You too are a tiny brat Levi, I like you too but I like children because they are cuter and don’t have dead emotions on their faces” she shot back at him, laughing. “I wonder what your face looks like when you smile more often. You would probably also look cute”

His brain hung up frozen upon her words. If only the world was a better place to live in, then probably his teeth and lips would have a better function and being gritted in anger or dismay.

He looked intently upon the sleeping baby in his partner’s arms. She had a tan complexion and curled and slightly unruly hair just like Abby, yet the raven hair matches his own. He quickly shook his head and pushed away the thought. Again, it was not the time to think of things like those.

_“Don’t push the thoughts back, if it were a better world I’d think of the same too. This is of course, if I was a human in that better world”_ he stared at her as she started invading his mind again with their bonded link.

“Your kind fascinates me. You live, you breathe, but most special of all, you have feelings. I wonder what is it like to be genuinely happy, sad, mad but most of all, fall in love. If I were to be reborn as a different creature, I’d be human” she was being sincere, with surprisingly, an authentic despair mirrored in her hazel irises. 

“You don’t need to be human to be able to feel shitty glasses” he murmured. “You can already feel. I can see it in your eyes”

“I do?” she questioned in disbelief.

“Yes you do” her lips began to curve up in her signature big ass smile again. “Just keep up the good work with your emotions”

“You need to work on yours though Levi. You are like a broken human” he is.

“Don’t make fun of me”

“You look like you can kill and you actually can kill” the world did it to him

“I mean it four eyes”

“But deep inside you are just a big softie”

“I said don’t make fun of my face its just my face nothing is wrong with my- wait” he paused upon realization that it wasn’t yet another insult, but rather a compliment.

“It’s okay to not act all tough sometimes Levi, I can listen to you. I may have been given to you as a partner against crime, but I can be your personal emotional punching bag at times too.” 

His heart started to soften up upon her words. His fists had balled up on his sides and his head hung low, being careful that she may not see his reaction.

“Maybe you have forgotten, but your thoughts are my thoughts. You don’t need to hide everything from me. I already know. The world might be a cruel place, but it is beautiful because you are still here. It’s okay to be broken, there’s no need to have a strong guard when it’s just the two of us. I won’t only try to protect you as a partner in work, but I will also protect you as a friend, so come here and let the tears fall” She had already set down Leelu in the crib by the time he looked up again at her.

Her arms were wide open, inviting him for a hug. Her cheerfulness made his tears finally cascade down his cheeks as he went in and accepted her warmth. 

“The weight on your shoulders is not only yours, you can pass them to me too starting from now on. We will get through everything together?” He gave her a nod while his face was still buried on her torso.

“Thank you” he whispered, wrapping his own arms around her too.

“Anytime, partner”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is familiar with **Leelu** or ever thought that this adorable baby is a real LeviHan lovechild, yes, yes she is. Leelu is actually first created by **drinkyourfuckingmilk** on tumblr. In my opinion, she is the mother of LeviHan arts so go check her out! I always love her small doodles, drawings and comics I highly recommend her!
> 
> Also, I am already currently working on the next chapter so I hope that I can actually finish it while we are on a week long break so I can share back the love to you all. Much love! Till next chapter! <3


	9. The Fool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi finally had the chance to find out what happened to Isabel, and avenge Farlan's death, but with his bond with Abby getting even closer, he finds out things that weren't meant to be known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update! since I have left you all hanging for two months I think? I know, I'm a bad author who doesn't update much but I hope you guys forgive me <3
> 
> Big ass revelation in this chapter and I hope you guys like it!

**—Levi—**

“They were my family for years, they helped me get back up on my feet and become stronger when my mom died and my uncle left me in this orphanage. I need to make sure Farlan’s death didn’t go to waste. And I need to find out where Isabel is, hopefully, she is still alive” he closed the door behind him.

It was now occupied by a new set of boys, but the memories remained fresh for him. It was the small room where him and Farlan used to bunk, with Isabel always in a tow and staying frequently with them rather than playing rag-dolls and teacups with the other girls. He remembered how their clique was regarded to as odd because they never interacted with the other children and played. Their trio enjoyed talking, simply walking, and even cleaning which did not displease the pastor, but made every other children think that they were weird. Not that they cared though.

“I understand, and I am fully willing to help you with your endeavors. I know that your intentions are good” Abby replied in sympathy.

“This isn’t an official mission Abby, do know that we could get in trouble when we fuck up” he reminded her.

“I know” she retorted, then gave out a sinister smile. “But it would be fun if no one finds out”

He gave her a soft and quick smile, before returning to his stoic expression which made her pout.

“I just told you that you looked much nicer when you smile and you’re already using it against me” she laughed

“Enough bickering and fooling around child and company” Pastor Nick appeared from behind them and teased him for his height. He scoffed and rolled his eyes, knowing that it is indeed, not the time to fight at that very moment. “The reapers will come in an hour, I’ll do my part as an usher and you’ll do yours after they’re in. The children are already safe and sound sleeping in their rooms. Tom and Peter are with Kieran and Dominic right now since you said this room is to be used as a decoy”

“Everything is set then?” Abby inquired.

“Yes, it is. It is only a matter of time before the plan is executed” the priest responded.

“Just make sure you don’t back out of the deal” he threatened the Pastor.

“I won’t as long as I get my rebates” Pastor Nick smiled knowingly at Levi, expecting something. 

“You’ll get it” Levi hissed. 

“Then I’ll be waiting for our guests to arrive. I’ll be downstairs” then, they were left with the silence of the halls. Abby only looked at him with a small smile of reassurance.

“Are you ready?” She asked him, a softer tone than her usual loud voice. She was sincerely concerned about him.

“I have to be” he sighed.

**————**

_“They’re here, only a group of three. The coach driver, and two goons”_ Abby had spoken through the mind link, which he only returned to with a small nod. She had been staying on a spot behind the stairs where she’d get a good view of the Pastor and the men entering the orphanage from down below. He stayed inside the room, waiting for the victims to fall upon their trap.

Abby had made a way for him to hear over the mind link what Pastor Nick and the reapers were talking about in the common room. They weren’t even inside yet, but his heart was already hammering from inside his rib cage. This was the moment he waited for, to get back at the people who ruined his second family when he already lost his first. To get back at the people who ruined the lives of much more other children.

_“Relax and calm down a bit Levi”_ Abby reminded him.

“ _I am calm”_ he scoffed, while mentally hearing Abby’s giggles.

“Good evening Pastor, I hope we do have a good sum of girls this year” a booming voice, followed by two pairs of heavy feet padding the wooden floors began to ring in his ears. They were familiar, it was the same goon he had faced years ago, the same one that killed Farlan.

His fists balled by his sides, ready to kill the man, yet he reminded himself over and over of his initial goal, and not to be taken away by his emotions.

“Twelve young girls and a baby of five months. Thirteen in total” the priest nonchalantly answered.

“That was better than the five last year” the man laughed. Coins started to jingle from the background, which he assumed were gold pieces that were handed out to the Pastor. “Keep up the good work holy man”

_“They’re starting to walk up the stairs”_ he readied himself and faced the door, waiting for the arrival of his enemies.

“This way” he could already hear the Pastor’s voice as he made his part of the deal, usher the goons towards the decoy room while Abby would take over to close the door.

“Do you perhaps have any teenagers we can fool around with first before they go to the boss?” boisterous laughter that disgusted him became loud enough for him to hear without any barrier as the door opened and the two buffed men entered the room without even looking at him.

He was not intimidated by their size, even if they were still bigger than him when he’s already an adult. He knew he was already stronger, smarter, and he could already take them on any day. He was fueled with rage, and the desire to avenge his family. He could do it.

“Hell is awaiting you disgusting pigs” he spoke, making the attention of the reapers direct to him.

“who the fuck are you?” the other one spoke, before getting surprised by the sudden slamming of the door. 

Abby’s bionic eyes were already glowing teal like the streaks of her uniform. He wasn’t sure if it was the effect of the dark, or her sign of intimidation, he’s never seen it before, but it was working. Although the two men were looking strong and ready to fight, he can see the nervousness of the two with the sweat suddenly trickling down their faces despite the cold ambience of the room.

“It’s a set up!” the one who he recognized as Farlan’s killer hollered.

“That damn priest” the other one hissed. “Step aside girl” the goon tried to shout at Abby.

“But why? I thought you were looking for girls to fool around with?” she smiled in a sinister way, the glow in her eyes never fading. The two reapers were nonetheless already scared, but the bionic girl made them even more terrified.

“Y-you two don’t know who the fuck you are crossing! If the big boss finds out, you’ll be dead” he just rolled his eyes at the man who killed his brother.

“Big boss my ass. You killed my brother and took away my sister, you should be scared of me you uncultured swine” he spun around and impatiently gave the bigger man a kick, which made the goon topple over the floor and spit out a bloody tooth.

“Why you little ass!” The other one tried to take avenge for his partner, but Levi’s own partner had taken care of it. 

“Take it out on me you filth! His war is my war too, fight fair with two against two!” she growled, mimicking his kick, which was impressively harder than his since her opponent flew to the other side of the room and crashed towards the wall. He gave her an approving nod as they both confidently marched towards each of their own enemies.

_“The world is not perfect”_ he started.

_“But we’ll find a way to make it a better place”_ she continued

_“We’ll take down the enemies_ ” he gave the injured man in front of him another punch when the goon tried to stand up and get back at him.

_“One step at a time”_ She released a grunt before punching the other goon with all of her might.

_“Together”_ They thought in sync. _“Because the world is cruel”_ They both lifted the two men _“But it is beautiful because you are here”_ with one final beating and a punch, the two buffed men, despite being bigger in size from him and Abby, sat down unconscious back to back on the wooden floor.

He was trying to catch his breath, and she was trying to catch hers too. It felt like they were in a drift, like they were one person and not two, like two hearts beating as one. It felt good for him knowing someone has his back again, someone he can call a family again.

“I presume you two are done? The children are starting to get startled with the noise” the Pastor complained, peeping through the door and handing out a rope the two of them can use. Abby was the one who took it from the priest and tied the two goons together.

“Leave them be here, I’ll give a note to my superior Erwin to take care of them. He will also be the one to give the money to you” he passed Pastor Nick and proceeded to going down the stairs with Abby in a tow.

“You have grown to be such a fine man Levi. It was nice doing business with you, and to see you again of course” he stopped on his tracks upon hearing the man. Sure Pastor Nick only cared for the money and ran the orphanage as cheap as it can get, but the man still put a roof over his head, a bed to sleep in, and food to eat for years. He slowly turned his gaze towards the priest and nodded.

“Thank you” he spoke softly, before turning on his heel and continuing his plans. “Let’s go Abby, we aren’t done yet”

**————**

“Once we get to the base, I want you to scan the place and get a map or blueprint. We need to find the main office of their boss and find out where they take the children” she nodded upon his instructions, while never taking out the gun from the back of their driver.

They had hijacked the coach the two goons had came with to the orphanage and held the driver hostage. Abby had morphed her hand into a gun just like what she did on their first mission and it was effective to keep the driver on track while they polish their plans inside the coach. Deep inside, Levi was hoping that he would still spot Isabel inside the base, completely unharmed, yet he was also preparing himself for the inevitable. 

It had been years since he had seen Isabel. She would have already been a young woman if they were good to her. But on the worst case scenario, he just wishes to see her for one last time.

“How far are we from the base?” Abby had asserted her gun further unto the torso of their driver who tensed up even more.

“T-ten minutes t-tops ma’am!” he nervously answered, never taking his hands off the reigns.

“Give him a rest Abby, he’s just a boy who I think doesn’t even know what he’s into” the female bionic had removed the cold and dangerous metal away from the boy and transformed it back to her hand. “What’s your name brat?” the boy just shook in fear, not answering him. “Oi! I asked you, what is your name?”

“U-Udo sir!” the boy adjusted his oval glasses that almost fell off his face.

“Well Udo, I recommend you to go home and quit your job. Understood?” it wasn’t a request, it was a command.

“Y-yes sir!” the boy replied.

“We’re here” Abby pointed out, as a silhouette of a fairly tall building hidden by even taller trees started to stand tall in front of them. Her eyes started to give the glow she does when scanning mission cards before she projected an image in front of them. She got the building’s blueprint.

“I mean it Udo, you have a better life ahead of you brat. You are still young. Take my advice and leave this shady ass industry” he gave the frail boy quite a harsh tap on the back before he jumped off the carriage with Abby and immediately hid in the bushes. He watched as the coached disappeared in the darkness before directing his attention back to his partner.

“If we pass through the side gates, we’d be less noticeable. It is also the quickest way towards the main office which is located on the eight floor. We can go through the fire exit at the side and we’d only have to beat two guards” Abby explained.

“I see” he responded.

“Shall we then?” she was like an overly excited puppy, frantic to move and run around. She even led the way, which he only rolled his eyes at. She loved the thrill and he admired that about her. She was never scared of anything, never fazed by anything, and she always continues to amaze him each and every time. She was really the best partner he could ask for, even if she wasn’t truly human.

As soon as she jumped the fence, her heel landed on a guard’s side which immediately knocked the man down unconscious. Before the other one could alert, he swung his own first from behind and threw a punch. They both dragged the two bodies towards the bush and made their entrance towards the stairs.

He was starting to curse fatigue again just like that time in Castle Utgard in their pursuit for Sannes. Running eight floors straight was not his cup of tea, while the bionic had went way ahead of him, but stopped once she noticed that he was getting left behind.

“Hurry up short stack” she teased him. “weren’t you too fired up to fight awhile ago? What’s taking you so long” she added once he was only a few steps away from her, the number four flashing behind her indicating that they were already on the fourth floor.

“Shut up you mechanical piece of shit. You already stink of sweat, take a bath” he groaned.

“At least I don’t pant like a dog. Lets go” she taunted, before sprinting again.

Then it dawned on him, she also tried to catch her breath and rested when they took down the goons back in the orphanage. Could it be? Yet he pushed the thoughts away from his mind and again, focused on the matter at hand.

Four more floors later, she stood beside the door waiting with her arms crossed in front of her chest. She faked an annoyed face and stared at him. A cup of tea or news paper would match her expression well enough right now, he thought.

“Took you long enough” she uttered, looking at a fake watch on her wrist.

“Shut up and lets go” he scoffed, pushing her aside and going through the door while she followed behind him.

He scanned the halls first for any signs of movement before proceeding quickly through door after door. The white and clean walls were slowly turning grey and darker, lights slowly decreasing and space turning dim. He was starting to get a bad feeling about it, a gut feeling that he should not push through, yet he had went through this far already. For the hundredth time during that day, he pushed away his thoughts, yet, he’d later on wish he never pushed them away.

All the hesitation, the warnings his mind gave him since the morning, the doubts, it wasn’t to protect himself, but also the girl he treated as family during the moment.

“Abby…” He whispered, voice trailing off as echoes through the hollow, dark, and red lit room. 

Aside from the haunting glows of red from the sides, dozens of teal lit tubes littered the room, the same teal color that Abby’s eyes and her uniform has. In those tubes, were things he was not meant to see, things Abby wasn’t meant to see.

Girls, teens, young women floated in an unidentified fluid inside of the glowing tubes. Some of them looked fully human, while others had parts that revealed that they were cyborg. Some of their arms, faces, or legs were scratched open and replaced with metal parts. They were bionics, all female, and most probably, all orphans brought about to the very institution they were standing in.

“Abby” he turned to his partner, whose eyes were staring at the tubes with a whirl of emotions. “Abby listen to me” yet she remained frozen. “Abby” his voice was soft, gentle, pleading for her to say something, anything.

“It can’t be” she finally uttered.

“What?” 

“M-my father. All bionics…” she was beginning to stutter. “All of us were made from scratch. I’m sure of it. My father created me. My father- argh!” she began to break down, one that caused him to panic as well.

“Abby, stop looking around, focus. Abby please” he was starting to shake her up, but she was furiously shaking her head and started to cover her ears with her hands.

“I am not human. I have no emotions. I have no heart. My father created me. He created me in a lab. I am forever grateful. I am grateful to Zeke Jaeger- Argh!” she screamed, a powerful one, before a loud beep erupted from within her.

He felt like his ear drums were going to explode, but he endured it, only keeping in mind to comfort his partner who looked immensely hurting. She was already crouched down to the floor, weeping, yelling for everything to stop. She was beyond confused and broken, and he felt no pity but only sympathy for her. He needed to get her out of the place.

Her distress was soon replaced by sirens, and men padding towards their destination. He looked back at her and saw that she was already passed out on the cold floor.

“Shit” he murmured to himself, before picking her up and carrying her, running away from that hell hole as fast as he can without getting caught.

Everything was an intricate web, which had hurt thousand of people. He thought he was the only one hurting, but the drift he felt, the connection he had with Abby, was not only because she was his partner, it was because she was also hurting, and deep inside, they understood each other.

It was like playing a deck of cards, gambling with their lives, where he thought only one could win, one had pleasure and one wad to loose it all, yet he was wrong. They were both fools, played by a dealer he had to unmask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who theorized that Abby is indeed human, yes, yes she is I applaud you for solving the mystery!! :D round of applause!!
> 
> BUT I repeat! BUT! There are more mysteries in this story than just this ;) do you think you guys can also crack it? Lets find out on the next chapters!


	10. Doubts of Humanity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With all of the signs, Abby still chooses to turn a blind eye into it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I say Saturday, I'll update Saturday. 
> 
> I'll be asking for a month of no update from you guys though. It's still tentative, I might find time to write and update but yeah, I will be needing a month for our final exams and personal events.
> 
> Still, I hope you do enjoy the story and bear with me :( Thank you! <3

**—Abby—**

A wave, one single wave in a spectrum of a flat line. One difference in the mark of death, one heartbeat that ignited it all.

She scanned herself, over and over again. Her reflection still the same in front of the mirror, but her inner self, feeling different. She was sure of it, she felt one at first, then two, three, till they started to hammer furiously inside her chest.

She grazed her hand over it, trying to feel it again, but it had disappeared. Perhaps she was just dreaming, maybe too much fascination with humans started to make her believe that she was one too. 

The kindness that he showed her ignited the heartbeat inside of her, her heart taking over her brain for a myriad of times that day. She was blown away by research maybe, research on too much emotions that got her carried away. She was starting to feel too, one that was not supposed to happen to bionics.

She slapped herself lightly twice on the cheeks and blinked. Sighing, she placed both palms on the cold sink and tried to compose herself again.

“You are a delusional piece of mechanisms” she whispered to herself “You are supposed to be the best, outstanding, one of a kind. In intelligence, strength and strategy, not in foolishness. You aren’t human” 

“Abby” she snapped her head away from the mirror and into the sound of the door knocking. “I’m sorry” it was Levi.“You know I’m shit with words, so I don’t want to fuck up and say something more I don’t mean… again. So I’m sorry, and please forgive the asshole that I am” then, she felt it again, the strange rhythm in her chest, loud and clear, first one, then two, then frantic.

She found her back cascading at the door, her knees weak and tired, making her surrender with her face buried in her hands on the floor.

“Abby, please?” he pleaded, with a soft thump ringing on the hollows of the mahogany. “You are the best partner I could ever have. Sure you had mistakes, but I equally fucked up on my own accord too. I apologize” she couldn’t stop it, the beating, yet she stayed silent. “Abby” he knocked twice, yet she still cannot compose herself to stand up and respond. “Abby” he was getting impatient, his voice becoming louder and accompanied by five more knocks on the door. “Tabitha”

“Let me sleep” was all she mustered to say, tired of not understanding her own self and not in the mood to even say the words verbally.

“Abby! I’m so sorry” his words were burning down further into her heart, making it beat more unstable and more louder than ever.

She knew she needed to get herself back into it, enough with imagining. With the little courage and strength she had, she suppressed all emotions and stood up.

“Can I help you with something?” she finally opened the door to face him, faking a yawn. Still, her heart was beating inside her, but softer due to her efforts, she would still like to hit it though, and make it stop.

“Don’t give me that crap Tabitha” he had his normal scowl on his face, which she actually found cute, but decided to throw it at the back of her mind. “Are you going to forgive me or not?” he crossed his arms on his chest.

“My dear partner that is not how a person apologizes” she placed her fists on her petite waist. She was planning to divert and conceal her mix of emotions through firing back at him.

“Well you said we were never normal anyway right four eyes?” then her heart skipped a beat again, with him remembering her words.

“Don’t get back at me with my own words” she glared at him. He can’t find out what is happening within her when she can’t even understand it herself. She was supposed to be a good partner to him, not a burden and another side mystery to solve. 

“Then I’m really sorry, I’m a shitty, dumb person and you are really smart. So please forgive me. Or do you want me to do something for you? Like clean your mess or cook? Just something you know I’m good at so I don’t fuck up, just please forgive me-“ everything seemed to stop around her, the air and everything else. Her flow of emotions and thoughts became blank. There was trouble. 

She tried to scan the room, the hall, but there was nothing. That was until a spark caught her eye from her peripheral view. A bullet.

“Are you even listening to-“ It wasn’t the time to find herself right now, it was time to do her purpose, to be of service to him.

**————**

Everything seemed so peaceful, the face and sounds of an innocent child tugging at her heart, but this time, she let it be, she was feeling an overwhelming sense of happiness feeling inside of her. Her heartbeat became faster upon feeling the warmth of the hand of the infant around her pinky, it was as if she was wishing that she’d have this scene for herself if she was a human. Still the emotions confused her, but she was going to enjoy the moment while there was no danger for her and Levi.

“Levi, she’s so small. Look at her small hands” she giggled, just soft enough not to startle the child resting on her arms. He had been looking not so pleased ever since they stepped foot in the orphanage, as if he was lifting a very heavy weight around his shoulders.

On the back of her mind, she knew he really did have a problem. She wanted him to tell her why, she wanted to comfort him, her heart was telling her so, but the agenda, still unclear in her mind. Why was there a desire to protect her partner even if they weren’t on a mission?

“Trost is a fairly rich area, but not as rich as Mitras. Unfortunately, people here are career centered and tend to leave children behind. Leelu was only three months old when she was sent here, she’s now five months. I do hope that someone does adopt her, or else-“ Levi looked at the priest with a piercing stare.

“Or else what?” she looked at the two men around the room, confused on what would happen to the poor child.

“Then she’d have to grow up without a family” another tug in her chest.

“How awful” she replied with a frown forming on her lips. “At least I had my father when I first saw the world”her thought drifted off to her creator. She knew he greatly cared, maybe he can explain all her troubles once she had the chance to see him again.

“Pardon? I recall that bionics are actually built not given birth to?” the light in her eyes suddenly disappeared, being reminded of the harsh reality.

“Yes, yes we are. but I’d rather refer to my creator as my father and not a progenitor. He had given me life and taken care of me till I was ready to have a partner” she decided to bring it back to the thoughts of her father, to be cheerful the least.

“I see, yet isn’t it strange how you have human like features? Even your skin looks real. I’m impressed” it was becoming very uncomfortable for her, with the priest pointing out all the things that were running inside her mind.

“Sir, as much as I’d like to be human, I don’t have a heart” it was her turn to remind herself and slap reality upon her. She was just a heartless bionic

“Well I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll leave you two for now if that’s okay?” she only gave a small nod, relieved that the intrusive pastor was finally going to leave her be. “Then, I’ll see you in the evening when dinner is set”

Once the man was out of the room, she looked at the peaceful child below her once more. The small nose, eyes and soft cheeks that still doesn’t know how cruel the world is. How she wished she was like the child, free of troubles.

“Children are beautiful don’t you think?” she can feel Levi’s footsteps coming towards her. “Sure all babies do is eat, poop, pee, sleep, repeat, but they are blessings” 

“You have an awfully grave fascination for tiny brats four eyes” he scoffed and she chuckled.

“You too are a tiny brat Levi, I like you too but I like children because they are cuter and don’t have dead emotions on their faces” she laughed, being sincere and letting herself flow freely again. “I wonder what your face looks like when you smile more often. You would probably also look cute” Even for just this once, she won’t strain herself, not in front of an innocent child. She was loving it, the feeling of being able to feel.

He stared at the child, and she could hear his thoughts clearly inside her head. She felt flattered, with him thinking that the child resembled the both of them. Maybe in a different world, there would be no restrictions, to the peace and happiness of the both of them.

_“Don’t push the thoughts back, if it were a better world I’d think of the same too. This is of course, if I was a human in that better world”_ he stared at her as she started to ramble, being honest with herself.

“Your kind fascinates me. You live, you breathe, but most special of all, you have feelings. I wonder what is it like to be genuinely happy, sad, mad but most of all, fall in love. If I were to be reborn as a different creature, I’d be human” still, she was puzzled, but at least, she was able to take away a portion of the weight on her shoulder.. 

“You don’t need to be human to be able to feel shitty glasses” he murmured. “You can already feel. I can see it in your eyes”

“I do?” she blinked, not believing him at first.

“Yes you do” her lips began to curve up in a smile again. “Just keep up the good work with your emotions”

She was beyond happy hearing the words. She was partly human after all, she wasn’t imagining being able to feel, she has feelings. She thought that maybe it was another unique feature her father had instilled for her. It was a blessing, that was all she thought of.

“You need to work on yours though Levi. You are like a broken human” she teased him.

“Don’t make fun of me” he scoffed.

“You look like you can kill and you actually can kill”

“I mean it four eyes”

“But deep inside you are just a big softie” she was also a big one, or even bigger.

“I said don’t make fun of my face its just my face nothing is wrong with my- wait” he stopped, realizing that she did not insult him even further. 

“It’s okay to not act all tough sometimes Levi, I can listen to you. I may have been given to you as a partner against crime, but I can be your personal emotional punching bag at times too.” she didn’t know where her words came from, but she just let it be. That was what her heart was pushing her to say at that very moment.

His fists had balled up on his sides and his head hung low, being careful that she may not see his reaction.

“Maybe you have forgotten, but your thoughts are my thoughts. You don’t need to hide everything from me. I already know. The world might be a cruel place, but it is beautiful because you are still here. It’s okay to be broken, there’s no need to have a strong guard when it’s just the two of us. I won’t only try to protect you as a partner in work, but I will also protect you as a friend, so come here and let the tears fall” She set down Leelu in the cot and waited for him to look at her.

She spread her arms wide open, offering a hug to him because it felt just right. She was built to function with intellect, but she was flowing through emotions right now, and it felt liberating and good. 

“The weight on your shoulders is not only yours, you can pass them to me too starting from now on. We will get through everything together?” He gave her a nod while his face was still buried on her torso.

“Thank you” he whispered, wrapping his own arms around her too.

“Anytime, partner”

**————**

“Do you perhaps have any teenagers we can fool around with first before they go to the boss?” boisterous laughter that disgusted her were loud and clear. She felt pissed, how dare they mess with the innocence of the children.

All she could thought of was how to take them down, of how their size doesn’t matter, and she knew Levi thought of it too. They both felt nothing but rage for the two goons who were going to come their way. 

“Hell is awaiting you disgusting pigs” Levi spoke as soon as the pigs were in the trap.

“who the fuck are you?” One of the enemies spoke, and she took that as her cue.

She slammed the door shut, and stood straightly looking lowly at the men. They were evidently intimidated by her and Levi, and she loved it, the feeling of her and Levi being like one person.

“It’s a set up!” one of the goons shouted.

“That damn priest” the other one hissed. “Step aside girl” the one facing her tried to faze her, but he failed.

“But why? I thought you were looking for girls to fool around with?” she smiled in a sinister way, fear increasing in the enemies’ eyes.

“Y-you two don’t know who the fuck you are crossing! If the big boss finds out, you’ll be dead” like they care.

“Big boss my ass. You killed my brother and took away my sister, you should be scared of me you uncultured swine” Levi spun around and impatiently gave the bigger man a kick, which made the goon topple over the floor and spit out a bloody tooth.

“Why you little ass!” The other one tried to take avenge for his partner, but she had taken care of it. 

“Take it out on me you filth! His war is my war too, fight fair with two against two!” she growled, mimicking Levi’s kick, which made her opponent flew to the other side of the room and crash towards the wall.

They marched separately towards their own endeavors, anger fueling up the strength in them. She was confused of her total being, while he needed to know what made his past worse. They were both like lost kids, who didn’t have time to be innocent due to the constant shit the world had thrown at them, that was what made their bond unbreakable.

_“The world is not perfect”_ he started.

_“But we’ll find a way to make it a better place”_ she continued

_“We’ll take down the enemies ”_ he gave the injured man in front of him another punch when the goon tried to stand up and get back at him.

_“One step at a time”_ She released a grunt before punching the other goon with all of her might.

_“Together”_ they thought in sync. _“Because the world is cruel”_ They both lifted the two men _“But it is beautiful because you are here”_ with one final beating and a punch, the two buffed men sat down unconscious back to back on the wooden floor.

**————**

A bright light, teal in color, was all she could see. It was clear in front of her, the evidence, that bionics were human, that her father lied to her. She should be glad, that the heart she was feeling and the emotions she had were because she was human, but she still couldn’t accept it.

“Abby…” Levi whispered, voice trailing off as echoes through the hollow, dark, and red lit room. Still, she stared at the tanks frozen.

She despised upon hearing that the girls in orphanages and those that were sold were stripped out of their humanity and innocence to become servants for mankind. How could her father do such a thing, when she was made to believe that he was the kindest person for bringing her to life. It was like she owed every breath to a person whom she saw as very great, she couldn’t register it to herself, what was happening.

“Abby” he put his hands over her shoulder, his eyes filled with concern, but she just can’t snap out of it. “Abby listen to me” she remained frozen. “Abby” his voice was soft, gentle, pleading for her to say something, anything.

“It can’t be” she finally uttered.

“What?” 

“M-my father. All bionics…” she was beginning to stutter. “All of us were made from scratch. I’m sure of it. My father created me. My father- argh!” she began to break down, one that caused him to panic as well.

She felt like her head could explode any moment, way too much data that was trying to process in one single moment. She couldn’t take her heartbeat hammering tremendously from inside her ribcage too. It was all way too painful, an unbearable sting that had her feeling like she was already on the verge of death

“Abby, stop looking around, focus. Abby please” he was starting to shake her up, but she was furiously shaking her head and started to cover her ears with her hands.

“I am not human. I have no emotions. I have no heart. My father created me. He created me in a lab. I am forever grateful. I am grateful to Zeke Jaeger- Argh!” she was lying to herself, and she knew it, but she just can’t accept it

Then, she screamed, a powerful one, a loud beep emitting from her chest, like a personal distress signal. It was just way too much, she couldn’t handle it anymore.

It was as if she blanked out after struggling, she shut down, and let herself fall into the darkness.

**————**

“Yes, we already are in Ermich, I’ll travel towards the head quarters once Abby wakes up” her eyes fluttered open upon hearing Levi’s soft voice. “Thank you for taking care of the goons and the Pastor in the orphanage, I’ll tell you my lead when we meet up personally”

She was in a new place, a soft mattress adorning her sore and stiff back. For how long was she unconscious? For how long had she shut herself off?

“Abby… she’s-“ she found herself eavesdropping on Levi’s conversation, with her assuming that her partner was talking with Erwin. “I don’t think she can handle talking about what we saw in that shit hole right now Erwin. Let’s stay her out of this first please”

_“But she may be an important lead if she knows something”_ she tried her best, to intervene through the mind link, even if she was still feeling weak.

“I know but, she’s also human, broken. She needs time” Levi sighed and ran his free hand through his hair.

_“I see, I’m sorry but I’ll have to cut our call short Levi. Come to my office when you think its fit”_ Erwin started to end the conversation.

“I had the feeling someone was listening through me” their eyes met, his icy dark orbs seeming a bit softer than before. “How are you?” he sat on a free portion of the bed where she laid. 

“Where are we?” was all she managed to croak out.

“A shack in Ermich. It would be too dangerous to go back to the orphanage right now although Erwin had already sent people to keep the children safe in there” Levi responded.

“That’s good” she answered, not in the mood to do anything or to even think about anything.

“Would you like some food, or perhaps something to drink” she just stared at him blankly even if it was a generous offer. She was starting to feel weak and frail, even when she knew she was designed to be the strongest of all her father’s creations. 

She began to straighten herself up, only to fail with her back hitting the bed once more. She hissed upon the soreness of her back and stiffened when Levi came to her aid.

“Are you okay?” He asked with concern, but she slapped his hand away and put on a brave face. She picked herself up and sat even if it hurt. 

“Don’t touch me okay?” she growled at him. 

“I’m just trying to help four eyes” he shot back, clearly annoyed that she rejected his generosity.

“I don’t need your help” she spat back angrily. “I’m not weak okay” she continued, reaching out for her pair of glasses on the bedside table.

“It’s okay to be weak and to cry when you are human” she froze, he was using her words against her again. Her gaze fell to the ground, unable to think of a come back. “We breathe, live and most of all, we have feelings. We are human-“

“I’m not human!” she screamed, stopping him. “I’m a class one bionic, made by my father Zeke in his lab! I don’t have a heart, and I can’t feel anything!” she said every single word with conviction, trying to convince not only Levi, but also herself.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me” Levi pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly getting impatient with the attitude she was showing him. “Abby you know what we saw in that lab, stop lying to yourself. Your father may not be as great as you think-“

“Don’t you dare bad mouth my father!” she fought back, not taking in any disgrace that would come out of him. “He did nothing wrong. He gave me life, he gave me to you, he gave you a partner who always saves you when you are in trouble. May I remind you of my purpose and my origins” 

“So are you saying that I should even be grateful to you ‘father’?” he stood up from the bed and put an emphasis on the word father.

“Yes! How many instances had it been that if I weren’t there, you would have died? You are such an ungrateful person! You can’t even thank him that he gave his creation to you-“

“I didn’t even ask for you okay!” he blowed up, and this time, it was his bullet that made her silent. “I didn’t ask for a clumsy and eccentric fool to be my chaperone on every mission!” she was hurt. “It’s up to you if you want to be a fool, but my sole purpose of getting into this god damn job was to get back my sister and avenge my only ruined family. If you’re going to ruin my years of hardship then be my guest! Leave! I don’t need you anyway”

He left her alone in that room with the slamming of the door. Her tears fell from her eyes and a heavy feeling replaced her heart yet still, she refused to be human, all for her unswerving loyalty to her father.


	11. Hell Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in the quarters, Levi and Abby both suffer from confusion and hurt. Through the enlightenment of their commander and the help from themselves, will they be able to resolve the conflict within thoughts and emotions?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **MERRY CHRISTMAS HAPPY NEW YEAR AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN!!**
> 
> _ohhhh she finally updated yes!_
> 
> I'm sorry for leaving everyone hanging for more than a month, like I said before, I went through exams. But! Having writer's block and procrastination afterwards was not an excuse for me so I'm so sorry!
> 
> Truthfully, I had to restart the whole chapter because I felt like the first one was trash and shit I didn't want to give everyone that. I am still not satisfied with this chapter but this is better than the first one.
> 
> Hopefully everyone likes it and I'll see you guys in the next update! (hopefully within the week too!)

**—Levi—**

It was as if hell broke loose in the room, nothing else can be heard but screams of agony and pain, and the punches thrown here and there. Mike had been only watching for the side, his face and stature slightly illuminated by the dim light that dangled from the ceiling. Mike’s face had been scrunched up in disgust ever since they had started with the interrogation, as blood and sweat combined were the only thing that entered his nostrils, he just let Levi be, knowing that he can’t stop his comrade’s rage.

Despite the pleas of the captured man, he chose to be merciless and ruthless even if his own fists were already bruised and purple. Levi didn’t care, all that he thought of was to avenge Farlan, who was killed by the man whose face started to swell by his hands.

“Please have mercy! I know nothing! We simply deliver and do our tas-“ he gave the goon another blow, with a tooth falling right below Mike’s feet, whose expression never changed.

“You dare fucking ask for mercy when you showed non of that when you pushed a frail boy down the stairs” he kicked the man straight at the stomach. Flashbacks of his dark past started to overwhelm his emotions. “You also took away my sister, and you tell me you don’t fucking know where she is? What kind of bullshit is that?” his fists balled even tighter before he threw the mightiest punch he could muster despite being tired.

“I swear! We simply leave them by the lab and leave” the man tried bargaining for his life again, this time, in tears.

“Some shitty excuse” Levi gave another kick.

“Please! I’m telling the truth! We simply deliver, then money would be by our doorstep come day break” the man knelt in front of him, tugging at the bottom of his pants like a pathetic animal.

Instead of having some compassion, his eyes darkened even more, an expression that everyone would be afraid of. He picked the man up by the collar firmly and lifted him up the air. Levi’s strength was wondrous for everyone in the corps, but he had chosen to lie low of it, yet this time, he wasn’t afraid to show it. Anger and pain were the only things that ran in his system in the moment, and it felt like no one could stop him.

“That is enough Levi” he turned to face the voice that had entered the room, momentarily giving brighter light as the door opened, and closed again. 

Erwin had walked in and joined him and Mike at the so called ‘interrogation room’ which now, looked more like a torture room with all the blood and even teeth scattered at the floor. The commander remained stoic and composed despite seeing Levi’s state at the moment, after all, he is still the highest rank in the corps.

“Put the prisoner down” he ordered, in which Levi hesitated at first, but obliged to. The goon had dropped to the floor rather harshly, panting for air and his life. “I still do hope you remember your years of training and the rules that we are not to kill a prisoner unless court trials say so”

“Even so, the trials would declare him guilty for killing and kidnapping two innocent children. Might as well end his agony in prison and beat the shit out of him now” Levi said through gritted teeth.

“How sure are you that court trials would result to that” Erwin calmly retorted.

“Did you brain get left behind in your office Erwin? Or you are simply fucking stupid today?” Levi answered, aware that he was disrespecting his superior, but al the anger that had built up in him was still dominant over his senses. “This guy is a fucking murderer, the least he could do is tell me where Isabelle is, but he is fucking lying!”

“Even so, I understand that you are emotionally desperate to find your sister and give justice for your brother, but even the court would not approve of what you will say” still, Erwin chose to be composed.

“What the fuck do you mean?!” Levi raised his hands in the air out of frustration. “I saw it with my own eyes! How the poor carriage driver drove towards the lab, a lab that was owned by Zeke Jaeger! My sister should be in there and this asshole won’t tell me where exactly! Isn’t it clear? Zeke Jaeger is the mastermind of all of this! The kidnappings and everything!”

“Don’t be too rash Levi-“

“I’m not wrong1 I fucking know what I saw! We must get to Zeke Jaeger right away and kill him! Everyone thought he only had a lab for creating god damn bionics but he had hidden ones! Ones that were designed to hide the graver processes-“ before he could even continue, a pang of pain had been delivered towards his right cheek. Erwin had gave him a slap, enough for his rage to pipe down a bit.

“And then what? You think you can just barge in and kill Jaeger? A lot of people respect the man for his brilliance Levi! Without any evidence whatsoever, even if you kill Zeke you’d be killed by the government, that is if you get to kill him. The control on the bionics are still his, he could kill you in an instant with the help of his powerful technology. Yes you are a top class cop, humanity’s strongest soldier, but those enhance ‘humans’ or so will kill you in an instant specially when you are outnumbered” Erwin explained.

“Then what do you want me to do? Sit here and wait till more orphans or poor are turned into mindless robots? I don’t fucking think so” Levi laughed. He bitterly accepted that Erwin was right, yet he didn’t want for a miracle to come his way. He has the chance to do something, and he can’t just let it go by. He had waited and trained for this moment for years and he didn’t want it to go to waste.

“You will need help Levi, you can’t just do it on your own. Unfortunately, neither I or Mike can do that” Erwin reminded him, staring at his cold grey eyes, and he knew right away what the commander had said.

“I can’t possibly ask for her help. I can’t even trust her yet, what if she suddenly turns against me because of Zeke’s orders? We all know she hasn’t been coming out of her room for days now. Not even Oriana can understand her or enter the room” his eyes suddenly softened upon remembering her. “Besides, I don’t want to bother her lost heart right now. She isn’t taking all the stress properly” he sighed.

“That is why I want you to lay low first Levi” Erwin started. “I want you and Abby to take a week off first, before I send you out on missions again. Zeke will probably look for who broke in his lab and I need you to not be a suspect. This will buy time for Abby to be okay”

Even if he did not totally agree with his commander’s decision, he obliged.

“Fine Erwin” he sighed. “I choose to trust in you” He had put his clenched fists into rest and exited out of the room, going past the commander with one last look. He considered Erwin as a friend aside from being a superior, and right now, he knew that Erwin was doing it for him as a friend, and not for the job.

**—Abby—**

It had been four days since she and Levi fought in the small shack. The following day of that event, Erwin had generously sent a carriage to pick them up and bring them towards the Survey Corps division’s head quarters. The ride had been peaceful, with her nor Levi not saying a word to each other nor having the strength to look at each other.

A pang in her chest which she still quite did not understand yet was all she felt after Levi had told her the harsh words she wasn’t sure if he really meant. Even so, if she is a human, she was pretty sure that they bionics don’t have hearts, after all, she can’t deny what she saw in that lab. One most noticeable trait about the girls inside the tubes were that their chests were carved out, and hearts were replaced with turning gears.

Still, she was left dazed and confused for days. Her mind tells her to be loyal to her creator, and intelligent thinking was the reason why Zeke created her right? Her thoughts could never go wrong, she was the best and smartest of those that he created. Yet a part of her wanted to believe what she saw with her own eyes, wanted to believe what Levi saw. 

She is hurting, but so was Levi. Even if she spent days cooped up in a room alone, she couldn’t find the answer within herself, she needed some help and she knew it, she needed him. But in order to heal and find herself, she would need to buy time for the both of them to be okay and at ease. She knew they both needed a break, and a chance to talk with each other personally before talking about how to resolve both their problems.

“Abby, may we please have a word with you?” knowing that Erwin was still a superior, she had opened the door, peering out first to see who the commander was with. Upon seeing Levi who still refused to look at her in the eyes, she gave out a small sigh and opened the door wider for the men to enter.

She had sat on the edge of her bed, looking down on the floor as Erwin padded in and Levi sat down instantly on a chair he pulled out from under the desk on the far right of her room. She can tell that he was tired by the way he dragged the stool across the wooden floor instead of carrying it. He also had bruised and dirty hands, and torn sleeves which he had not bothered to bandage or clean. Knowing Levi, he was a clean freak, so she can tell that he is still greatly distressed. 

She fidgeted with her fingers and bit her lip, not having the strength to speak out first, although she wanted to ask the Erwin for permission to rest, perhaps for a day or two. Levi also just sat on his chair, clearly having no intention to talk.

“I can clealy see that you both need to find something out yourselves” Erwin broke the silence. “I do hope you are aware Abby, that you’ve been sending your wishes like whispering air to mine and Levi’s mind a few moments ago”

She can feel her cheeks getting warm due to embarrassment. She probably wasn’t able to control the mind link and shut it down due to her nearly exploding mind.

“Fortunately for you, you don’t need to ask. I have already talked about it with Levi awhile ago and I’m giving you two a week of rest before I send you out on any mission again” she breathed out of relief and thanked silently for having such a lenient and understanding superior. “Under the circumstance that is, that you remain here in the quarters for a week and you can’t return to your apartment nor the orphanage. This is for your own safety, and for us to monitor the two of you, so that you don’t do anything rash” Erwin had shot a knowing look at Levi which he only rolled his eyes at.

On context, she predicted that it had something to do with Levi’s beat up and pissed look at the moment. He was rather calm like always on the outside, but she can see in his eyes that he was full of hatred and rage. again she felt a small tug in her chest, as she hoped that he does not resent her nor want her to be gone just like his previous words.

“For the time being, I want you to sort out things between yourselves” Erwin continued. “And, I may be your commander but I am also a friend, not only to Levi, but also you Abby. We may not know who you truly are, but I am willing to help you out too as a friend”

“With all due respect sir, I still believe that I am my father’s creation, all from scratch till what I am today. I do respect your opinions about me possibly being a normal girl before, and I won’t tell my father for now, but I do hope you don’t push the thoughts right now as I myself am very confused. I am very grateful for the time you have given me to find myself but please, if I may just ask that you do not add up to my confusion. I need to deduce what’s in front of me first” she humbly asked.

“Very well then, but still, if you need any help, don’t hesitate to approach me” she gave a small nod to the commander. “I’ll be in my office then. I hope to see you two during dinner later” 

As the door closed, only her and Levi were left inside the room. A good few moments of silence embraced them, as both their gazes remained on the wooden floor. She had tried thinking about something to say to him as she wanted to break the ice, but she didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable, or to make things worse or ruin everything just like he said before.

And without feeling it at first, her eyes suddenly got wider as she felt hot tears drop down her bare thighs that her tight uniform exposed. She wanted to stop them, desperately wiping them away with her hands as she sniffed, yet she couldn’t take them anymore. The next thing she knew, she was bawling, with her palms covering her face, she tried to stay silent, but her cries just became louder each second because of the agony.

She was lost with who she is, and she felt unwanted by the only person who was there with her. Come to think of it, her father was never really there for her. Yes he created her, but she spent the life that she could remember in a tube, where he would only bring her out when he was to modify or tweak her. The only moment that she felt alive and cared for was with Levi, and it seemed more painful for him to tell her that she was a nuisance, that he didn’t want her.

_“Am I really that awful? That the world had decided to rob who I really am from me? And all the people I thought who care are now gone? What did I do wrong? Am I not supposed to be smart? Shouldn’t I know this all by now? Why am I still confused? He’s right. I’m nothing but an obligation, someone who ruins things. I am not needed, why did I even exist?”_ she thought as she cried, unaware that she was already sending her thoughts to Levi as she couldn’t control herself anymore due to all the heaviness she felt inside of her.

How was it possible to feel heavy but empty at the same time? She didn’t know. A million thoughts raced inside her head, thoughts she wanted to push away but she just can’t. She felt like exploding in any moment, her hands straying away from her face and making their way to clutch her hair as if that would stop the head ache. 

She was beyond miserable, tears unable to stop even if she closed her eyes harder and harder. Her grip on her own self was getting tighter and tighter and she couldn’t stop. Was it because the emotional pain she was feeling right now was greater than physical pain?

Then it was as if her world stopped, the moment she heard his footsteps padding towards her. She felt his warm hands take away her own, carefully untangling her fingers from her hair and holding them safely in his palms. Her eyes shot wide open as he crouched down to meet her gaze from below, with her hands still enclosed in his.

His cold grey orbs seemed warm for the moment, mirroring guilt and sincerity. They were also glassy on their own, indicating that he had been fighting his own tears from falling.

“For a moment, I never regretted having you around” he started. “You know that I’m shit with words and I didn’t mean what I said before. You are not useless and you don’t make everything worse, you make it better. I’m sorry” 

As if it was magic, her tears decided to stop on their own, although she still sniffed and hiccuped, trying to regain her normal breathing. 

“You said it yourself, you have saved me many times, and I am eternally grateful. Yet I cannot be grateful to the one who created you” he sighed. “For years on end I have searched for my sister, and sought vengeance for my brother. Zeke Jaeger is my prime suspect and I’m sorry for taking out all the anger on you. He is the one causing me and you such agony so I can’t forgive him and just move on. He needs to pay. I understand if you would choose him over me or the corps, but please know, that I will never regret having you although I never really planned on it ever since I was a cadet. It was honor fighting and standing by someone as great as you”

As if everything clicked around her, she wasn’t sure what made her make a decision, but she knew that it was the right one. As if some weights had been taken out of her grasp, she breathed in and out, and spoke to him.

“Like I said b-before” her voice quivered as she took her hand away from him and rubbed her left eye. “You are my partner, and we will get through everything together”

she felt genuine, happy and human. Although she definitely knew she was still a bionic, she knew that her feelings have geared towards being a human.

“I may not know myself yet, but I’m willing to find out, plus like I said again, before, I’d love to be human” his face also lit up upon her words. “Even if I’m still loyal to my father, there are doubts specially that all my memories are just being tweaked or spending days inside a tube until you came around and took me. I want to know who I really am, I want to help you, and I want to do what’s for the greater good” she ended, forcing a smile back into her lips.

She was going to move forward, not knowing where her decision will take her, but she knew it was worth the risk, worth it because he was with her all throughout.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATE: I didn't make the cut for dean's list by .25 points so thats what made me lag back in updating because I was so demotivated but I am back on track! I hope everyone liked the chapter and I promise to give a series of light chapters first after the heavily dramatic ones like this and the previous two chapters!
> 
> **LOVE YOU ALL!!**


	12. The Five Bows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Can you find the 5 bows?**
> 
> _Comment down the five bows and the first one who gets it right gets an exclusive LeviHan water color art and a preview of the next chapter (in pdf) from me!_
> 
> I am not joking about the game! All you need to do is to:  
>  **1\. Go to the comments tab and give your answer in numbered format (1-5)  
>  2\. Leave a link, along with your answer of your social media or any platform which I can contact you with (twitter, email and tumblr only)  
> 3\. Wait patiently for me to contact you**
> 
> I hope someone actually participates in this small game. It is my way of saying thank you to everyone for the continuous support for this fic even when I admittedly don't think I deserve it. 
> 
> I would like to give back to everyone for all the kudos, subscriptions, comments and hits! Thank you very much and I hope to hear from any of you guys soon! :D

**—Levi—**

He wasn’t really sure if he was to go on errands or on a small field trip with Erwin, Abby and Mike in a tow. Oriana had been left in the headquarters so that Abby would not be in discomfort, after all, the other bionic had no knowledge about the lab and whatsoever yet. Another factor that made it look like a trip to the zoo was the fact that his old training squad met up with them once they set foot in the market of Mitras. It wasn’t that he’s not glad with the small reunion, but rather because he thought they were buying things needed by the corps, instead, they looked like tourists.

He was glad that Abby was back to her giddy self after just a day and she was back to prancing down the streets of Mitras like they did before, only this time, he hoped that they don’t run into any trouble if ever they decide to head towards Dauper.

Petra had waved into their group of four as the approached the other half of their group. Oluo had stood sternly as if trying to mimick his stature behind the ginger haired woman. Eld and Gunther were carrying sacks behind their backs, indicating that they had already went shopping before Levi and the others got there.

“Captain!” Petra squealed as soon as they were face to face. He let out a sigh and reminded the woman.

“Petra, I’m not your captain anymore remember?” she blushed in embarrassment. He used to be their squad leader during their training days and they called him captain. “But, I am proud of you for becoming a captain of your own squad along with Oluo” he called out, making her cheeks flush even more as he praised her. Oluo’s eyes also lit up upon his idol’s praise, Levi just brushed Oluo’s expression off and turned to the men behind the leader duo of Ermich.

“I see that you’ve gotten a class one bionic” Gunther pointed out, eyeing at Abby who seemed to be preoccupied enthusiastically looking around.

“Yes, and I’ve heard you got your own too at Trost” he returned.

“I’m glad to see that you’ve become so talkative captain” Eld teased.

“Again, I’m not your captain anymore. And I’ve always been talkative” he scoffed.

“Yes I agree, Levi had been really wordy, although his choice of words had been mostly… colorful” Abby laughed, finally joining the small reunion. “Hi, I’m Abby!” she introduced herself, eccentric and bouncy personality back.

“Hello Abby!” Petra perked up upon seeing another girl in the group. “I’m Petra, and this is Oluo. The two behind me are Eld and Gunther” Petra introduced her comrades, pointing to each of them one by one.

“It is an honor to meet all of you! I’ve heard that you are really amongst the best in your class before! No wonder Levi hand picked you to be his team back then” the four remained flattered upon her words, while Levi only gave his partner a confused look.

_“How did you know all of that?”_ he said through the mind link, which was now working properly, now that they were both at least, emotionally stable.

_”I may think and already look like a human, but of course I still am partly bionic. Perks of it is being inside your brain and of course, access to the public’s data. Anything that the police and corps had recorded are within my reach”_ he let out a small sigh with her explanation. She was really brilliant, it was a thing he could never put aside.

“We have already bought some meat for our small dinner later as meat quality and prices are better at the morning” Eld announced, pointing at the sacks that him and Gunther carried.

“You should’ve seen Petra bargain for them, she was having a war of her own” Petra only nudged her own partner, Oluo, while the other men chuckled from behind. Even when they were still trainees, Petra really had the skill to bargain for the lowest price. It was in fact one of the rare moments when the woman would look so intimidating. She had always looked like a soft and kind woman, but when she goes through the market, it was as if she was entering her own battle field.

“Stop embarrassing me!” Petra growled at the men who suddenly cleared their throats and went back to normal. “A-anyways, what do you have in mind to buy today commander Erwin capt- I mean Levi and sir Mike? I may be able to help you with the prices since I have heard that they’ve recently cut the budget for the corps” Petra bit her lip upon her last sentence.

“Yes that is true Petra, but I’ll only need new papers, journals and quills for my office. The rest of the day I intend for everyone’s rest and enjoyment” the commander declared, earning quite the surprised look from the others.

Erwin had been known to be strict, specially with the budget, but recently, he had been lenient to everyone, his friends the most.

“I-is there anything anyone else wants?” Petra shuffled her feet.

“High grade tea” Levi commented.

“Oluo knows a good place that would give you tea leaves of your preference combined. He’s a regular, we will definitely stop by there later!” Petra clapped her hands, while Levi suddenly remembered the day Oluo had first drank his cup of tea. The quirky man used to prefer coffee, but due to his habit of copying Levi, he had grown accustomed to the tea.

“Anything else?” Gunther offered.

“Actually, there is one thing” Abby fidgeted with her fingers. Levi couldn’t quite read what she was thinking, but judging by the way she had been staring at Petra for the last few minutes of their conversation, he knew what she wanted.

“Petra, can you take Abby to the seamstress’ house while we pick up Erwin’s belongings?” seeing that they had the chance to have girl time, Petra’s eyes lit up as she dragged Abby towards the opposite direction anyway. He was sure, that before Abby turned her back, she had sent him a sweet smile that reflected ‘thanks’ through her happy eyes.

**————**

“Yoow!” Abby’s voice rung from behind them, causing all the men of their group to look towards the direction. She had been running towards them with Petra in a tow, her arm waving furiously above her head, saying hello to them.

She looked gorgeous in his point of view. Her uniform and boots which she had been so accustomed to wearing was now tucked away in a paper bag that was carried by Petra. A new dress clothed her body which did not accentuate her curves like her uniform did, but made her look more feminine, more fragile and more gorgeous. The of shoulder top had made her collar bones visible, showing how thin but lean she was. The yellow ties ribbons on the corset and embellishment of the top brought out her personality, warm and bright like the sun. Her skirt that stopped right at her ankles had covered her thighs that used to be exposed by the lacking parts of her tight suit and thigh high boots. Her feet were now clad by matching yellow doll shoes that made her height seem a bit less, but still taller than him to reach. Over all, the brown, white and yellow combinations of the dress had set him in awe. It brought out her beauty, and her humanity.

“You look like shit” was the first thing that he blurted out as soon as she had stopped in front of him. It had earned him disapproving stares from Mike and Erwin, but he just moved past her.

She stared at him as he walked away, only to stop at a near by stall where jewelries and accessories were sold. He had hand picked a yellow bow made out of velvet, paid the vendor generously, then returned to her spot. Without speaking, he artfully tied her hair into a neater pony tail after pushing her shoulders downward so that she could bend for him to reach.

“There, much better” he nonchalantly spoke, after he tied the final loop of the hair piece. She began to look even more beautiful in his eyes, if it was even possible, now that her hair wasn’t in a disheveled pile on top of her head.

“Gee, you really are shit with words” she laughed off. “But I hope you don’t look too constipated the next time you see some dirt clean freak” she teased.

“And I hope you don’t take too long to shop again. It made me think that you took a long dump” he shot back, even if her and Petra weren’t even gone for too long.

“So we got the commander’s papers, and Abby’s new outfit. What’s next on the list?” Petra chimed in.

“Levi’s tea if I recall it right” Levi rolled his eyes upon Abby’s words. She probably had their agenda’s listed down on her bionic mind and didn’t need a recall. “But, I’d like to buy a little something too for Levi” 

She ran off towards the direction where he bought her hair bow. He noticed the way she giggled with the old vendor while pointing towards his direction. He knew that her idea was going to be stupid, definitely fucking stupid.

“this is fucking stupid” he complained, when she got back, showing him the piece that she got for him. 

“You got me a hair bow, so I’m giving you a bow tie” she declared, slowly reaching out her hand for her to tie it around his neck. He dodged right away and swatted her hand.

“Don’t you fucking dare. I’m not even at a formal shitty ball” he growled.

“But your outfit goes with it! You already have a black blazer above your white sleeves, and your pants go along well too” she pouted. “Besides, its not bad to look like the bachelor that you are even for once Levi, you need some love soon, you’re becoming grumpier and grumpier like a gremlin each and every single day” she taunted him, but still, he just sent death glares along her way.

“Forgive me Levi, but what she is saying is right” Erwin butted in, a playful smirk unusually placed upon his lips. “If you still are looking for an occasion to wear it, consider our little get away a formal reunion” sometimes he knew that Erwin could be an ass for his own amusement.

“Real men wear bow ties shorty” Mike snorted from the side, which he only groaned at.

“Fine!” he scoffed, finally letting the squealing girl in front of him tie the piece of fabric.

She made sure it wasn’t too tight, and that it was neat, much to his liking. He peered through the window of one of the shops where he could see a faint image of his reflection. Abby looked satisfied with her work, and so was he.

“Not bad” he whispered. “Not bad at all”

“Come on Zofia! The fair is starting!” A boy had passed through running right in between him and Abby. 

“Slow down Falco!” this time, a girl had went through, “Sorry!” the girl managed to squeak out, turning momentarily at their direction before sprinting to catch up with her friend.

“A fair?” Abby had taken a second or two to think, before her expression lit up again, looking towards her comrades. “Lets go there! I want to see what food and games they have!” before anyone else could react, she was already sprinting towards where the kids left off.

He shook his head and sighed, walking rather slow to follow the bionic. Erwin, Eld and Gunther let out a hearty laugh, following his tracks, while Mike, Oluo and Petra had padded behind.

It didn’t take him long to spot her despite the crowd. Her height and the bow he gave her illuminated from above, which eventually lead him towards an exhibition where three men were showing off their bowing skills. 

He watched her as she stared in awe, the men consecutively hitting the red spot of the target although they weren’t really hitting the center. Soon after five shots, one man had placed down the bow an arrow and rubbed his nape, before passing the weapon to another challenger. He had noticed three barrels at the side of the area, presumably the price to whoever wins the game.

“Beer, and a good kind” Mike sniffed and smirked beside him.

“I bet the corps would rejoice if beer like that would be brought back to the quarters” Gunther exclaimed. “Except that we don’t have the budget for that”

On the fifth exchange of people who we’re trying to beat the challenge, Abby yawned from the corner of his eye. She turned towards him with a dead expression.

“I don’t get it why none of them are getting it right yet. They have five chances and they only need to get three right at the center. The prize should be motivating enough to them considering that their statures look like they drink loads of beer” she spoke.

Seeing that his comrades had eyes for the prize even if they didn’t say anything, he did the thing that he was good at doing. As a form of gratitude for these people who were by his side when he thought he lost everyone who cared about him, he stood forward from the crowd, and got five arrows and a bow from one of the contestants that stepped down.

Although the taller and fatter man stared at him like he was a scum, he was never fazed. He took the weapon from the man’s arms and began to set it up to his comfort. 

“What is a rich bachelor doing here fighting for beer?” one of the other challengers hollered, laughing at him as he positioned himself, a good few meters away from the target. “Go back to your pristine life shorty!” Pissed, he turned to the man with a scowl.

“Mind your own business you uncultured swine” and with a ‘tsk’ he released the his grip from the string of the bow, and the arrow shot straight at the center of the target.

The crowd’s attention was drawn to him, and he knew that his comrades were attentive towards him. He can even hear Oluo, Eld and Gunther cheering for him. He released his second arrow and it went straight right through his first one, curving the wood towards the sides before it broke off. His competitors were now visibly intimidated, the crowd becoming more and more amazed and hollering. 

On the third strike, everyone rejoiced, seing the third arrow pierce through the second. He had won the prize, and the organizer rolled the barrels to him which Oluo, mike and Gunther ran to. What made him feel like a winner though, was the way Abby praised him and ran into him with a hug. She was proud of him, like he always was with her. He felt joy and accomplishment, although it seemed like just a little favor comparing to the hardships he went through when he was just a trainee.

“I didn’t know you were also good with bows and arrows? Its not in your record!” Abby chimed as they walked away with the beer. Erwin opted to put the barrels first back in the carriage before they buy Levi’s tea.

“Only personal combat and gunning skills are included in the bio data after all” Erwin explained.

“But it did say that Levi was good with knives? Why isn’t archery part of his special skills in the list?” Abby asked.

“Because archery is considered a long range skill, not close combat. If he were in the Garison or the Military, he’s be asked for that skill” Mike was the one to answer.

“Interesting” Abby reckoned.

The sun started to set, giving a warm orange toned glow to everyone. They had been on the third of their path when they reached a fountain with street performers. Abby had suddenly stopped on her tracks and eyed at the musicians who were playing stringed instruments, most specifically, a violin and a bow.

He had noticed the way she lagged behind them and decided to turn towards her without asking for permission from their company. She had been way too draws to the sweet sound of music that she had not even noticed him padding towards her. She flinched as soon as he touched her bare shoulder, causing him to retract his hand.

She gave him a reassuring smile, before walking towards the performers with him in a tow. She reached out towards a small pocket in her outer corset and dropped gold pens into the can on the ground, in which she earned a gracious smile from the musicians.

“Would the gorgeous lady want us to play a song? Any requests?” the viola player asked, turning both to him and Abby.

He thought that she would ask for a well known violin song like Mozart’s violin and viola duet, but instead, she had the softest expression which baffle him. She had asked a favor from the performer which he had never expected.

“If I may, can I ask to play with your fiddle for a while?” she pleaded, her face suddenly looking so serene and peaceful.

Although the viola player hesitated for a bit, he gave her a small smile and handed out the instrument to her. She took it with utmost care and placed it between her shoulder and chin as if she had been playing it for a long time. She almost looked like a professional, surprising him more and more.

She started to play fast, with a beautiful but fast vibrato that rung through his ears. She bowed smoothly through the viola and her fingers glided through the strings very well even if her eyes were closed. She was feeling the music, as if the Passacaglia by Johan Halvorsen. Soon enough, the violin player was able to keep up with her pace, accompanying her through out the duet. The viola player stood aside, amazed at Abby’s skills as well.

He had never seen her play a viola, let alone any other instrument. Each and every time she would surprise and amaze him with her skills, making her even more gorgeous in his eyes. It was as if she was just playing with the wind, despite the piece getting called ‘impossible’ by many musicians, even the best ones had a hard time with the Passacaglia, and there she was, playing it with so much ease it looked so natural.

“There you are! we were wondering where you guys went-“ Petra stopped her own voice once she saw Abby playing by the fountain.

It was such a beautiful scene, with the warm setting sun’s glow illuminating all the right places. The fountain and soft water splashes added to the scene and her expression. It was a mixture of sadness and concentration which he couldn’t decipher. His own eyebrows met up in confusion, about so many things.

As soon as she placed her bow down with one final vibrato, she bowed down gracefully, which made her look like royalty for a second. She looked at her comrades back with the usual wide smile and handed the instrument back to its rightful owner. She gave the man her thanks before walking towards them.

“Since when did you learn to play the viola?” he asked her. “Can bionics learn it in an instant? I don’t recall having a viola at my place nor knowing someone who plays it” 

“To be honest, I don’t know either” she laughed, followed by a sigh. “It just felt… right, like I should play it like that” her answer was bitter, confusion also evident in her eyes. Despite their relationship to each other getting fixed, they knew both of them were still partly empty despite having each other. But the good part is, they now both have each other to look for the missing pieces of the puzzle together

“I think one of the men in the corps, his name is Daz, he owns a viola and I’m sure he would let you borrow it. You play beautifully and I think you should play more” Erwin added up to their conversation.

“That is a wonderful offer” Abby clapped her hands together. “I hope I get to play well for everyone specially on occasions”

“Speaking of occasion, let’s get Levi’s tea so we can return to the quarters and have a feast sooner” Mike spoke, eager to have his beer.

He scoffed of disapproval, knowing that Mike’s own bionic, Oriana would be the one to take care of the man wen he’s out cold. Even still, he would not let his friends’ joys come to an end, after all, he was the one who won the beer for all of them.

“Oluo, lead the way” his voice shocked Oluo at first, but Oluo gladly obliged, happily trotting in front of the team.

Oluo walked upfront beside Petra, Eld and Gunther right behind the two. Mike and Erwin were walking right after Eld and Gunther, and he and Abby were beside each other at the end of the line. He felt a rare sensation inside of him, the feeling that they call genuine happiness. It had been long since he felt it, and it felt good.

“You should smile more Levi, it suits you” Abby softly said beside him, a subtle smile also grazing her lips. How blessed was he, to have all these genuine people whom he deemed he can call family, while he was at his lows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired by [insanityqueen66](http://archiveofourown.org/users/insanityqueen66/pseuds/insanityqueen66) and her amazing fic called **Fate Through Music** (CHECK HER OUT SERIOUSLY! ALL HER FICS ARE AMAZING SPECIALLY SON AND THE DEMON AND HIS TWO ABNORMALS) in this chapter.
> 
> I hope everyone liked this chapter and would like to participate in our little 'game' at the notes above!
> 
> UNTIL THE NEXT UPDATE! (Time table: two weeks tops to give ample time for the game, and to give way for my enrollment)
> 
> _Link to the Passacaglia incase anyone is wondering how it sounds like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnOoAnLL7vY_


	13. Drunken Lullabies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby, challenges Levi about his incredibly high alcohol tolerance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations to [Agirl8732](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Agirl8732/pseuds/Agirl8732) for winning last time's game! And a massive thank you to everyone who participated! You all did a wonderful job thank you!
> 
> I hope everyone likes this chapter!

**—Levi—**

She began plucking softly at the viola that Daz had graciously let her borrow. The same man had also pulled the piano that only acted as a decoy at Erwin’s office towards the dining hall. The music they played started low and soft as if they were just serenading everyone with soft plucks and and key playing.

Then when everyone expected it least, having downed a few mugs of beer here and there, Abby suddenly increased her volume and her playing became more rapid, making everyone alive and holler with their glasses raised in the air. She stepped up one of the tables and began playing Camille Sainte-Säens’ Danse Macabre while dancing. Daz accompanied her with the piano beautifully, as if the two instruments were fighting but were in harmony.

He stared at her happily and confidently playing for her small gleeful crowd from the superiors’ table. There we was joined by Erwin who was already tipsy although he would not admit it. Mike who was already leaning unto Oriana for support, and his former squad who were half dead in alcohol and half sober, by half sober, he meant Petra scolding Oluo for drinking too much beer, and Gunther listening to Eld’s slurred stories about his fiancé.

Abby laughed as she leaped from one table to another, entertaining the troops who watched her. Her heels then tapped to a more up beat tone in which her audience mimicked with their glasses and hands, beating like drums unto their tables. The Danse Macabre transitioned into the Libertango by Astor Piazolla in which she swayed into as if she was dancing the tango.

He remembered the night in Utgard palace where they danced the tango to distract the crowd, this time she was shadow dancing by herself and he could see her clearly. She was a graceful dancer, and he vouched for it due to the way she lead him in their dance instead of him, the male, leading her.

He was starting to wonder why she was so good at all of these things? Playing the viola and dancing the tango. She can’t be trained for them, she said that it came in naturally, but how?

He was lost in thought when a thud awakened him from his daze. Abby had set a mug of beer in front of him, while she held another, presumably for herself in her other hand. He looked around that the viola had now been returned to Daz who continued to play solos which were composed of Caprices.

He was able to collect that Daz actually came from Stohess, one of the semi-well off cities of Wallace. Daz used to be a tax collector, till he got bored of his job and decided to be a cop even at the age of forty. 

“I’ve heard that humanity’s strongest doesn’t get drunk, but I told them that was impossible. Alcohol has effects on the human body one way or another” she spoke, sitting in front of him and snapping him out of his thoughts again.

She took a swig from her own mug and downed half of it in one go, before fiercely exhaling and rubbing her mouth on her sleeve, which was unfortunately white.

“You’ll get a nasty stain on your new dress shitty glasses” he scoffed, taking his own mug into his hands, the way he was accustomed to, holding it by the lip.

“Gee, lighten up for a bit will you clean freak?” she giggled. “I’ll wash it after”

“God knows you clean like a chicken scraping the ground” his face twisted in disgust, knowing that her ‘clean’ would probably result to more yellowish stains that would be harder to remove from the pristine white fabric. “I’ll gladly clean it for you, if it means retaining the expensive ass quality”

“You really love cleaning that much don’t you?” she took another sip, but more like she was savoring the taste in her mouth for awhile. “Frothy, not exactly the type of liquor I would prefer, but this will do”

“What liqour then do you even ask for?” he raised an eyebrow at her.

“I don’t know as well, but I feel like craving something else” she shrugged her shoulders.

“You’re really abnormal” he shot at her.

“I can say the same for you” she shot back “Specially that you don’t get drunk and all. But! I have a self challenge on how much you can go till you get drunk”

“You’ve already heard it four eyes, I don’t get drunk” 

“But, I don’t believe it” she pushed. “As I said, humans are bound to get drunk one way or another. You just happen to be more alcohol tolerant than the others” she placed her elbow on the desk and rested her chin on her palm. Her free hand swirled the glass as she intently watched the beer blend.

_”You’re an ass”_ he sneered from inside his head.

_”I can hear you”_ she momentarily set her gaze upon him, then back to observe the small hurricane forming inside her mug.

_”I intended you to”_ he groaned, hearing her inner laugh. It was going to be a long night.

**————**

He rolled his eyes, hearing her incredible and much, non-amusing guffaw for the uncountable time. She had been slurring her words and jokes that all he could do was look at her as if she was some crazy mad man while he dragged her back into their room. She said that she was going to observe him till he was knocked out cold drunk, but there she was doing the exact opposite at nearly two in the morning.

He was seriously reconsidering punching her ‘till she sleeps out cold, but he’d rather not have her suddenly vomit while he carries her up his shoulders. Their current circumstance was more convenient for him, so that he can just throw her to the side when she decides to blow up.

“Raviolli Raviolli get me some bologna!” she sung he weight suddenly shifting towards him more, as she stumbled, trying to regain balance.

“Its Levi” he corrected, hoisting her up with a pissed look on his face. “Not my fault they spelled out my name as Rivalle when they were drunk settling papers” he hissed, remembering how the higher ranking military officers always had ‘fun’ while doing their job.

“Same bologna Raviolli!” she laughed again.

“You’re starting to say shitty baloney” he suddenly replied, earning a rather huge ass grin from her. Once he realized why, he shook his head furiously and walked, dragging her again.

He kicked the door wide open and practically threw her to the bed, where she embraced a pillow right away and kicked her shoes to the side. He dodged the bright yellow doll shoes and groaned, rolling up his sleeves artfully and neatly up his arm.

“You still fucking smell like booze four eyes, plus your clothes are damn filthy” he exclaimed trying to pull her so she could stand up. Yet she only shifted her weight even more so she could sink down the bed further. She looked at him with a taunting smile and tired eyes.

“Sometimes I wonder why I’m the one who sleeps in the bed when its your bed” he rolled his eyes at her statement.

“And I’m reconsidering why I’m even allowing you to” he groaned, sitting in his chair and watching her as she had no intention of moving or whatsoever.

“I mean, just think about it. You own it, you should sleep in it, not sleep in a chair, it looks so uncomfortable” she tried pointing at where he sat, but rather pointed at a random spot in the room, her vision probably clouded up.

“Yes, great job pointing it out dumb ass” he pinched the bridge of his nose, grabbing a pitcher from beside him and transferring water into his glass before taking a sip. 

He started pouring her some of the liquid into another glass. A tip he learned from growing up in a soldiers’ barracks is how to get rid of being drunk or at least lower your chances of hangover the next day so that the chief would not notice the next day. He was to make her drink shit tons of water then make her pee the alcohol.

“I know of a resolve!” she suddenly perked up again, suddenly sitting down on the mattress, crossed legged style. “Why don’t you just sleep with me?”

He had suddenly spat out his own drink before glaring at the woman. Luckily his grip on the pitcher and glass was quite tight, or else he’d be sweeping the room before moping the spill.

“Is there something wrong?” she tilted her head to the side, confused of his reaction.

“Watch your god damn mouth lady. You’re spouting out too much shit” he looked at her in a disgusting way.

_”So robots can’t figure out innuendos”_ he sighed.

_”Its bionic, and innuendos by definition is an allusive or oblique remark or hint. Unfortunately I cannot recognize sexual comments till you react. My bad”_ she shrugged, while he only glared at her. “But still, not meaning that and all, there is still plenty of room in this queen sized mattress of yours. I do not quite understand why a short man like you needs all this space, but this tall girl can certainly share.

She certainly did not need to insult his height at that comment, but he just sighed, knowing that his partner’s thoughts are indeed correct. Still, he embraced sleeping in a sitting position much more. It gave him a sense of safety, being able to spring up faster and react when trouble arrives. He’s already been traumatized enough, having wasted time jumping up and out of bead and throwing the sheets off his body instead of rescuing Isabel right away. He couldn’t push away the fact that he had once blamed himself for not being fast or reactive enough, therefore it was one of the habits or skills he picked up as a trainee. Even if he looked like a huge ass weirdo to his comrades, he couldn’t care anymore less. At least when the unexpected comes, he looks like he had been expecting it.

“I figure that you only sleep sparsely because you aren’t comfortable in your sleep. You need rest” she commented, yawning on her own and resting her whole body in a sleeping position again against the mattress.

“You sleep four eyes, you need it more” all he got as a response was a soft hum, before her chest started rising and falling in a steady pattern.

He groaned upon seeing the full glass of water beside him, he had forgotten about his plans to help her escape from drunken hell and had just let her fallen asleep knowing that she’ll soil the bed with stench and stains and he’ll be the one to clean the next morning. He was certainly going to be a babysitter for his partner and almost everyone in the corps the following day, but still, he planned on showing them no mercy once they wake up. He was going to make them clean the dining hall and the path ways even if their heads throb like a boulder just hit them.

“Mhhm” Abby had hummed in her sleep and his attention had went back to her.

She slept in a fetal position, her long arms hugging herself, probably feeling the cold through her exposed collar bones. 

He sighed and stood from his position, walking carefully towards her then lifting the blanket from her feet, to cover her entire body. She shifted her body to face him after gaining some warmth, he watched as her forehead started to crease as if she was thinking about something really hard. Without realizing it, he had already crouched down and had his finger fix the creases till they were rested. He rested his head on the mattress with his knees on the floor and observed her more.

She was really beautiful, pure and unsure at the same time. Brilliant yet had her stupid moments at times. Surprising in a good way, and surprising in an abnormal way. She may look like a mess at all times but her eyes and everything still looked gorgeous to him. She was all the opposites combined yet it was wonderful, and they were the same at some points. The only thing that was stopping him from admitting that she was indeed extraordinary and close to him, was that she is a bionic.

She is still human, he knew it, but she doesn’t have a heart that could have strings attached with him. The odds itself aren’t in their favor as well. With all the chaos surrounding them, he couldn’t simply love her freely. All he could do is stare at her and whisper thoughts of ‘I love you’ when she’s far and can’t hear it. All the right feelings at the wrong time and place, that was what it is, and it was silently killing him at times, even when he didn’t realize it yet.

His hands absentmindedly went towards the loose hairs that framed her face. He played with them and twirled it around his fingers while his eyes slowly directed towards the bow he gave her earlier during the day, or rather, yesterday. She was really sweet, yet strong and independent.

**“Sun goes down, and we are here together”**

She started, startling him and making him flinch backwards. Her forehead creased again, deep in thought of a dream or a nightmare.

**“Fireflies, glow like a thousand charms”**

her voice was in a sweet melody that cracked as if she was crying for a painful reason. Her eyes started to get closed tighter as well, making him worry, yet he didn’t know how to make it better for her.

**“Stay with me, and you can dream forever  
Right here in my arms, tonight”**

He deemed that she was singing, something along the lines of a lullaby. It was the first time he had heard her sing the song. It sounded bitter yet her voice made it sweet even with the tinge of sadness laced around it. He wondered why she was singing the song in particular, yet he didn’t want to wake her up. He watched, caressing her face whenever she looked like she was carrying a heavy weight on her shoulders.

**“My love… is always with you  
Wether near or far  
How sweet to hold you”**

Tears started to stream down her face, and he gently wiped them away, one by one, patiently as she slurred by the words, stopped by hiccups due to her cries every now and then. He wished he could do something for her, yet he was always shit with words and comfort, he could never par with the way she made him calm down whenever he was the one in need. Still, he is right beside her, on her lows as well.

**“Right here in my arms, tonight”**

After one last note, she ended up humming and then getting relaxed again. He breathed of relief when she started to become peaceful again, free of any hurt and distress. He thought of getting back at his own chair and call it a day, but he just can’t seem to leave her side.

Without anything else and disrespect in mind, he had gladly taken her offer, laying down on the space beside her and taking the warmth of his soft mattress.

“Not bad” he whispered, taking his gaze away from the ceiling and unto the bionic who was sleeping peacefully beside him, her breath fanning his face from a few inches away. “Not bad at all”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who got the Barbie reference? It sure is normal for a 20 year old girl to like Barbie, yes. It came from "The Island Princess", it is the song that Ro and her mother sang when they reunited.
> 
> But basically, the idea of this chapter is to make you all feel that Abby is really more human than robot, plus, for Levi to explore his feelings.
> 
> I do hope everyone liked it! And I hope to see you all next chapter!


	14. Can I have this Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his love for Abby getting more and more intense each day, Levi finds his desires to be with her and to protect her much more harder to conceal. When she acts up with so much confusion and pain that he can't quite understand, he too shares her agony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Two wild bionics will be spotted in this chapter! Can you guess who it is in canonverse?**  
> 
> 
> Hello lovelies! So far, this is the longest chapter of this fic with almost five thousand words on count! I know it took me awhile but I had deleted the previous one I came up with and restarted because I didn't like the other one. This is the chapter with most point of view transitions as well. I figured that it would be nice to see their point of views more often so here!
> 
> I hope you all like this chapter! Much love!

**—Abby—**

“Done” Petra clapped her hands together after swiping one final touch of brush unto Abby’s face.

Abby had slowly fluttered her eyes which were kind of heavy due to the mascara that her ginger haired friend had put on her. She adjusted her vision, squinting her eyes till she could see herself on the mirror. Petra insisted that she leave her glasses be only for one night and she obliged, not wanting to reject the other woman.

At first, she wasn’t sure if she was seeing herself or a pristine princess. She wasn’t wearing her usual uniform nor her cozy dress, her hair wasn’t a disheveled mess, and her face was free from any marks of tiredness. She almost looked like a doll, a pretty one at that.

“Levi will surely love you after seeing you” Petra sighed, while she snapped from her daze, a surprised expression placed on her face.

“What do you mean by that? He can’t love me” she chuckled, an unexplainable tug felt on her chest. “I don’t have a heart” she bitterly smiled.

“Even so, we have a small spark of hope that you are human” the ginger placed a hand over her bare shoulders and gave her sympathy. “Plus, we’ve already felt your emotions as if you are truly a human.”

“Thank you” she whispered as a response.

“Shall we go? They’re probably waiting downstairs” she gave her friend one small nod before following.

**— Levi —**

He paced back and forth on the lobby of the headquarters, waiting for his partner to come down while Erwin and Mike watched him amused with his agitation. He wasn’t even sure why he was nervous, but he was also partly annoyed that she was taking too long to get dressed.

Oriana had already been prepared an hour ago wearing her own red dress. He admitted that the other bionic looked beautiful despite the short haircut that adorned her. It was probably one of the reasons why he was jittery, thinking about what would the woman he loves looks like.

Erwin, Mike, Oriana, Abby and him were supposedly going on a ‘mission’ that night. It was more of a gala or a ball but Erwin said there was an important agenda in attending such event. Unlike the last party where they had to catch a criminal with bad intentions, this was more of an internal job. Erwin insisted that they come and try to convince the nobles to support or give more funds to the corps as they were lacking budget.

As soon as he heard footsteps descending down the wooden stairs, he stopped walking and looked up, Erwin and Mike also looking towards the direction. Petra pranced down first, her eyes shining with pride, a smile beaming at the men.

“She’s ready!” Petra squeaked as soon as her feet hit the floor, she twirled to face the stairs and mustered her hands towards the top.

Then there she was, standing shyly at the last tier, his mouth hanging agape at how gorgeous she was. Words can’t even explain how beautiful she is to his eyes. Moreover, her personality was what he loved, her appearance was just a bonus that encompassed who she truly was.

She was dressed up in an emerald green gown which was plain but elegant with its shining satin fabric. Her collar bones that he had grown to love were peaking out due to the off shoulder cut. Her long legs further accentuated by the slit on her left. Her hair was curled and artfully settled atop her shoulders. Although she was already pretty without make up, her eyes popped out even more with the embellishments, and he marveled at the finest view of her brown irises when her glasses was off.

  
  


It took a nudge from Mike before he could finally move and help his date to go down the staircase, if he could even call her a date. Black strapped heels made her three more inches taller and him more smaller than he was, but he didn’t mind.

He can feel himself sweating as he ushered her down, his eyes divided between the steps and her smile that was directed to the people below them. He looked at her with so much admiration, and let out a small smile before becoming stoic again to face his co-workers who were waiting for them.

“You look gorgeous” Erwin commented, a smirk placed on the commander’s face which he frowned at from the side.

“Thank you” Abby responded, cheeks becoming warm in embarrassment.

He walked silently beside her as they went toward the carriages. Her hand hooked around his arm while he tried his best not to stiffen up. He silently cursed for not having any words to say to her, for not being able to express what he felt, and for not acting up.

“Levi?” he was snapped out by her gentle voice, and her stare that was now directed to him. “Are you okay?” 

“Yes I’m alright” he said with a stoic expression, still a coward not knowing what to do. She gave him a frown before boarding the carriage that stopped in front of them. 

He could only let out a sigh, for the strongest soldier couldn’t even be brave when he faces the woman he loves, and she doesn’t even know it.

**————**

The gala went by smoothly for everyone else, except him. He deemed extravaganzas such as this one as fake, tedious and annoying even before. If there was no important agenda in Erwin’s list, he wouldn’t even had come to the ball. Why was he even needed anyway? He wasn’t good with words which was what they needed. They needed to talk to the people of nobility, gain their trust and probably gain more funds, yet he can’t do that task efficiently. He just accompanied his group, staring and following behind them like an annoyed small hawk. It wasn’t helping too that people kept on staring at his partner as if she was the star of the show.

Abby showed no shyness and continued to stroll around with Oriana by her side, totally oblivious to the stares that were given to her. He knew she was gorgeous, but he didn’t think she’d draw this much attention. He knew that in other’s eyes, she wasn’t a woman but a mechanism, a lifeless being. They were materializing her from his point of view, and he hated it. All he could do was quiet down, send the perverted men death glares, and ball his hands into tight fists.

Erwin on the other hand was quite delighted by the outcome. Surely, having Abby all dolled up and ogled at by the wealthy bachelors had its perks. They would direct their speeches to the girl at some point and the commander would gain their sympathy. In the past three hours, they had already gained promises of almost ten thousand dollars. Abby had just replied neutrally to their questions and flashed nothing but a small smile, making him sigh in relief each and every time. 

Somehow, he still thought of a time when he could have her all to himself and enjoy the ball with her. She just looked like she fit perfectly under the glistening chandeliers, pristine and all dolled up. He knew that it doesn’t seem like normal her who would dress in the tight suit uniform, hair greasy and in a tight ponytail, and glasses masking her eyes, but still, she seemed like a missing puzzle piece that fit perfectly in the scenery. 

Grabbing two glasses of champagne from a server that passed through, he took a quick sip and drew the liquid in through his lips. He savored the sweet flavor and mustered some courage to stride into the group who were holding a conversation with one of the noble sons of the Bodt family. 

The freckled tall young man had him at ease, he showed to interest at Abby physically at the least. The boy was polite and he immediately took liking into the bachelor.

“Oh yes, I’ve read some of his books but I can’t really say I’m that interested in religious conspiracies at the very least” Abby replied to a question that was thrown at her. He gave her a small tap at her shoulder and offered her the other glass of champagne which she obliged to.

“Yes, as my father used to say, never engage in political and religious debates” the boy laughed. “It never ends”

“I agree” Abby laughed along. “Oh Mister Bodt I’d like to introduce you to my partner, Levi” She had hooked her hand at his arm and pulled him towards his side. He looked at the bachelor who was smiling in front of him and gave him a small nod.

“Please, call me Marco. And nice to see you Sir Levi, I’ve heard a lot about you and the corps, I wanted to be one but my family did not approve, they said it would be dangerous” The boy warmly initiated a hand shake which he acted up to. He reached out his left hand and gave a firm but not tight shake to the noble.

“As much as we hate political talks as well, there are some problems we can’t solve without talking” Erwin butted in, sighing.

“Ah yes, so I’ve heard the corps we’re having problems. As I said, I wanted to join yet I couldn’t, the least I could do is to pledge five thousand grand” the hand shake was directed to their commander.

“If you’ll excuse us” Levi lowered his gaze down and took Abby with him as soon as Erwin dismissed them with a nod.

He lead her out of the maze of people hand in hand, climbing up the grand stairs and making their way towards a hall where only few people lingered. Only those who were on the way to the bathroom were the ones that they passed by, the rest too drunk to function and don’t know where they are. He had searched for the nearest terrace or veranda he could find, wanting to have some fresh air and some time with her. Alas, he found one at the right wing of the mansion where they had wandered off. He opened the door and let her go out first like a true gentleman.

She let out a small sigh and breathed in once they were both out. The wind was coated with the scent of pine trees, fresh and cold. He saw her shiver for a bit, her collar bones exposed as he remembered. He took off his coat and gave it to her, she clung unto it tightly as soon as he placed it on top of her shoulders. She flashed him a small smile which made him feel like he wanted to do the same.

He had the chance to look at her again under the splendor of the moonlight which always did her so good. He had noticed that even before, the illumination of natural light such as the sun set or the moon made her even brighter than the stars. It was clear to him, she was beautiful in her own way and it makes him feel more for her than he thought he did.

“You look less like shit” he blurted out, her eyes widening in shock which he took as a bad sign. He silently wanted to punch himself for being awkward and shit with words, he had just offended the girl he loves. “I- I mean you look fine- not fine I mean good! By good I- I mean”

she laughed, her happy voice sounding like heaven’s bells in his ears, although he was worried if she was laughing at his statements, or trying to laugh the sadness out of her system.

“Thank you, for saying that I’m beautiful” she spoke.

“How did you know?” his eye brows scrunched up in confusion, how did she know. Then it dawned on him, she is still partly a bionic after all.

“No its not the mind link” she chuckled. “After all this time that I’ve known you, I knew that you weren’t good with words, and I had somehow found out how to interpret them”

He stared at her with so much admiration, mouth hanging agape. How could she be more wonderful than she was right now. 

“Also, I know you love me but, try not to kill people with your stare” his eyes widened which earned another laugh from her. “I’m just teasing you! But seriously, we won’t get much more funds if you act like you will devour them” he sighed. “And, also, you don’t look too bad yourself”

His heart fluttered at her words, both blissfully and painfully. Somehow, he knew that she doesn’t really love him. It was as if she was toying with him without his knowledge. Still, it was like tasting honey when he wanted to believe that she acknowledged his feelings. It gave him more hope and persuasion, to find out about her human self. He knew it might be his selfish desires driving him, to find Isabel, avenge Farlan’s death, and wanting to make Abby love him back, but it was also a righteous thing to uncover the truth. He imagined how thousands of girls’ lives would be saved once the crisis which was unknown to the world would be stopped. It may look like a technological advantage, but it was a loss in reality.

The wind blew again, more furiously as the clouds started to block the moon, looking as if it would rain anytime soon. He placed his hand at the small of her back and guided her back inside the mansion. She gave him back his coat as soon as warmth hit her skin again, and he wore it again. 

They had padded back to the ballroom in silence with her hand latched on his arm. It felt so good to him, having to usher and having to honor to be her partner. Maybe someday he thought, he could go to social gatherings with others staring not only at her but the both of them as a couple. It would be convenient as well, he does’t have to silence himself and behave once others violated her in his sight.

A soft music for waltz played as they reached the top of the staircase where they climbed up moments ago. A string quartet played softly for the crowd from the left corner of the ballroom. 

Her eyes glistened upon the sight of people dancing by pairs at the bottom. He stared at her before coming up with a brilliant idea. He went down three steps of stairs ahead of her and turned back towards her direction, a hand out to help her. She only stared at him with a confused from on her face, he kept his cool and breathed in.

“Can I have this dance?” he breathed out.

At first, her mouth opened up to a little ‘o’, as if she was to say something, then she had let her lips rest up in a small curved smile. Her warm palm met his hand and the other holding her skirt so that she wouldn’t trip. They hand descended down the stairs with him assisting her, he had lead her towards the swarm of people who shared the dance floor with them.

She placed her hand that was previously holding her gown down his shoulder, as he placed his free one on her hips. He held her other hand securely but gently in his like a perfect fitting puzzle. He looked at her straight in the eyes, admiring her in every second that they swayed. The violins played a soft mellow melody, a relaxing tune that allowed them to build the mood. He stepped along with her in sync from side to side, not minding the others who were doing much more complicated waltz moves. He felt like this was his time with her, and no one else around them mattered.

Once the music began to build up, he had transitioned to striding wider and even back an forth as if they had a box around them. He had also initiated a few spins here and there, guiding her as they moved with the beat. He felt an overwhelming amount of energy surging along his veins, an immense feeling of happiness. When he saw her happily going along with his lead, he had allowed his expression to soften up an relax. Maybe for the first time in others’ eyes, the strongest soldier had smiled, a genuine smile.

He had given her a small push, making her twirl away from him while his hand that was latched along with his stopped her from moving way too far from him. He pulled her and she spun back into his arms, his breath hitting the back of her shoulders as they swayed again. Then he decided to pull the boldest move he could think, lean her back as he supported her, warm air hitting his and her face.

Her eyes had made its way unto his lips and he noticed it, both their breathing patterns becoming heavy by the second. He wondered how soft her lips were, how would it feel against his. When she closed her eyes, he took it as a go signal, as he mentally prepared himself to close the distance and kiss her. 

His heart pounded like there were horses stampeding inside it. He knew that it was his moment, their moment. When nothing else mattered but her and his love for her. He felt like she was reciprocating his feelings, and it meant the world for him. He felt like he wasn’t alone like before, that he’s finally found someone who will permanently stay by his side.

The instruments had echoed a wonderful vibrato one last time, she had suddenly opened her eyes, her brown irises apparent to him once more. She had stood up from their stance on her own and softly pushed him away, creases forming on his forehead when she suddenly left him hanging on air. Did she suddenly regret almost kissing him? He did not know, as he followed her silently walking through the people around them.

He was back to his pissed self, annoyed at her sudden change of attitude. It frustrated him that he couldn’t read through her, and that he was left with a huge ‘why’ on her act.

“Ah Humanity’s strongest soldier and smartest bionic are here I see” she had suddenly stopped on her tracks, becoming stiff, unmoving even. He had pushed his thoughts away and stood right beside her, the figure of a man he hated coming out from their right.

“I see you still like to put your nose unto others’ business. The Military still such a joke for you Nile?” he shot back with a hiss, the commander of the Military Police laughing at him, only provoking him even more.

“You should really teach your subordinates to shut their mouth Erwin” he had felt the presence of his own commander and his company at his and Abby’s back. Nile had his own companions, coming shortly after Mike and Oriana did.

Abby had suddenly anchored her hand unto his arm, quite tightly this time. He didn’t fail to notice her sudden change of expression. It was as if she was worried, scared even. It all occurred when two women had made their way to Nile, their expressions stoic, cold, almost lifeless. Then it dawned upon him, the women were bionics, and Abby was uncomfortable with it.

Nile have seemed to notice the duo’s change of mood as he asked for the two bionics to come closer to his side, Abby suddenly hesitantly taking a step back.

“I can see that you’ve got a class one bionic but I’ve got mine too. She isn’t a class one, she is a class four and her name is Dawn” the girl had ashy blonde hair that waved till her shoulders. She had pale green eyes and thin lips, her nose thin and small as well. “This one is Farrah, she used to be Keith Shadis’ bionic until he retired. She was supposed to be given to Erwin but he declined” next was a shorter girl with silver, almost white hair. Her pale, almost silver blue eyes were also concealed by glasses that was similar to the one Abby had left in the head quarters.

“I figured that she would’ve wanted some rest after handling the corps in a rough period in time. I can see that she went to you” Erwin had replied, sensing the tension.

“Dissing me as well Smith? Where was our good old camaraderie when we were still trainees?” Nile laughed, taunting even Erwin who was doing a good job keeping a straight face and looking unaffected. “But anyways, I’m here to tell you gentlemen that Darius Zackley had requested an urgent meeting at the library of this mansion. We should probably get along with his orders”

Even if he wanted to stab the boisterous man right at the back while they walked down the halls, he decided to go against it. The agony would be over once the meeting was done, he planned on going back to the head quarters with Abby once they were finished. They did not need to stay in the venue surrounded by toxic people that would ruin their night.

“Unfortunately, Zackley had requested that this meeting be for us men only, I’m sure your bionics won’t mind getting left out here outside the room” he balled his fists at the other commander’s orders.

Abby had shakily removed her hand from his arm and looked at the ground. He stared at her with so much concern and waited for her to say something, anything.

“I will be fine” she breathed out, shooing him till he was inside the doors. He looked back to give her one last glance but the doorways were already shut by whom he assumed were Zackley’s men. There he sat at one of the empty couches, a soft glow from the fireplace showing his disinterest in the topic, and worried eyes that only Erwin and Mike could decipher. He needed to get out of there, they needed to get out of the ball, but how long till then?

**— Abby —**

She fidgeted with her hands, staring at the dark carpeted flooring of the floor. The dim lighting of the hall did not help with her jitters at all. The silence made it even deafening and threatening for her. She already sensed that something was wrong by the way the other bionics looked at her, even Oriana seemed different this day. It was as if they were made to suddenly apprehend or devour her. She couldn’t bear to look at them with a straight face, she was frightened of them.

“Abigail” Farrah spoke, the cold tone sending shivers down her spine. 

“Y-yes” she shakily responded, her gaze still dropped.

“The father is not pleased with you” she felt like she was floating, nauseous. Zeke knows. “Breaking into his restricted laboratory is a major violation of our code. Exhibiting human behaviors at an immense rate is another sanction. You have also blocked out communication with the father configuring that you have tweaked your system. You are to be scheduled for fixing, please provide us with a convenient time and day”

Her breathing became heavy. She was sentenced to total rebooting and she knew it. It would mean loosing all her progress, all her memories, it would mean losing her friends and partner, it would mean loosing Levi. She couldn’t handle it, she would not let him.

“I’m sorry, but our schedules are very tight in the corps” She replied, mustering up all her strength to finally look at the three other bionics with a fake brave face. 

“Very well then” it was Dawn who spoke this time. “You have chosen punishment” 

Her mouth hung agape at the statement. What were they going to do? Either way, she was prepared to fight, bust in the doors and take Levi away with her if the other bionics would do something against her will. 

“I’m not going to let you kill me or my partner” she growled at them, teeth gritted in anger.

“We have no authority to make a chaos at this event, it would damage the father’s reputation” Oriana replied. “The father would take care of it. Fear not, all their souls would reach heaven”

She stared at them confused. Them who acted real lifeless and stiff, heartless. Was she like this before? But one thing is for sure, she won’t conform with them no matter what. But what do they mean when they said the punishment won’t be hurting her nor Levi? Their souls would be on heaven?

Then it dawned on her, the sweet, precious innocent smiles of those she cared about. She can feel something breaking metaphorically inside of her, her mind spiraling into thoughts that would give her a headache. She dropped to the floor on her knees, palms flat on the carpet and panting heavily while beads of her sweat trickled down from her forehead. This can’t be happening.

**— Levi —**

As soon as Darius Zackley dismissed them from the meeting about the funds the corps had solicited for the night, Levi had bolted out of his seat and bursted out of the doors. His heart broke as he saw her kneeling over, as if she would vomit any time. It pissed him off that the other bionics just looked at her and him with expressionless faces. What had they done to her.

“Abby” he had made his way towards her, pulling her up by her arms and steadying her up. She had clawed at his arms but he didn’t mind, she needed support, she needed him. 

It pained him even more when she started to cry hysterically, mumbling words so fast that he cannot understand. Her breathing was becoming coarser at the moment, she needed to calm down.

“Abby, calm down” he whispered to her, holding her firmly by her arms and looking straight into her eyes. “Abby slow down, what is it”

She stood up abruptly, eyes searching for something frantically before she sprinted, pulling him with her while he almost tripped. He silently cursed, he needed to know what was going on.

“Abby wait!” he shouted, making her stop to face him, blood shot eyes pleading for something. “What is going on?” he asked her.

“The orphanage, Levi, we need to go to the orphanage, now!” He was stunned for a moment, frozen and unable to move. Even if he hated that hell hole, he still had a heart for the children in there.

With all that he had left, he ran out of the gala with his partner, taking two horses from the stables, and galloping for miles, hoping that they would still make it in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **For the guessing game of who the two bionics were:**
> 
>  
> 
> **Dawn = Hitch Dreyse  
> **  
>  Farrah = Rico Brezenska
> 
>  
> 
> **Round of applause for everyone who got it right!!**  
> 
> 
> Next chapter would be uploaded on valentines day (February 14) as a gift for everyone! Clue for that chapter: pain. See you all soon!
> 
> _For more feels, here is the music they danced to during their waltz!_
> 
> __
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvK9vIfqCxc 


	15. One Last Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi discovers that he doesn't need anything else to be sober but her, Abby realizes that what felt so right, was always with him. Together, they find out that if there is pain, there is pleasure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO EVERYONE!!!**
> 
> As I promised, I have posted the new chapter as a gift to everyone in this day of hearts! BUT! There are some major things that came up with this chapter:
> 
> _1\. The PLAYLIST is in here! See the playlist at the bottom of the story!  
>  2\. The story is now tagged differently due to the NSFW content _
> 
> so... **WARNING: THE CHAPTER CONTAINS NSFW READ AT YOUR OWN RISK**
> 
> Without further a do, I give you a dose of Levihan, this Valentines day!

**— Levi —**

It wasn’t that he didn’t care for the orphanage that became a shit hole for him, he cared for the people in it greatly, all the kids and admittedly, even the pastor who helped him a great deal the past week.

He couldn’t move from his spot beside the horse that he had tightly held on to the reigns. The warm glow of the orphanage was gone, no kids laughing out loud nor crying, pleading for the pastor not to tuck them to bed yet. It would be the perfect time to do so, at around ten in the evening, but no merriment could be seen unlike how he remembered it. Abby had already went on ahead of him, scrambling out of her horse, her shoes already long forgotten at the pavements. She had bursted through the door a good few minutes ago, and had not come out ever since. 

Once he had calmed himself internally, he had ties both horses on a near by tree, hands shaking as he tried to knot the leather on a branch. He had willed himself not to cry just yet, a little hope that the kids were alright, safe and made it out through the back door or hid inside closets or under beds. His legs wobbled as he stepped one at a time till he reached the front door. A cold eerie gust of wind greeted him as he entered, his sight darkening upon the sticky sensation at the bottom of his feet, blood, he knew it by the irony scent.

He followed its traces, smears by the floor then up the walls, made by small hands that probably tried to run away. It lead him towards the kitchen, where he found two precious bodies laying together side by side by the kitchen sink. It made his heart break, seeing the children’s eyes wide open in horror, staring blankly in front of them, lifeless. Tom was protectively hugging Gabi, his back and chest pierced indicating the he was stabbed, whatever weapon was used, it went through the poor boy’s body and unto the young girl’s heart, killing them both in an instant.

He had pulled out a spare table cover from the cupboards and covered the two kids, saying a little prayer before breathing out. He knew he was still going to see more of it, and he prepared himself for the horrendous sight to come.

The next trail of crimson red already lead up to the stairs. The two kids by the kitchen must have tried to escape by the back door but was cornered. The others, have met their unfaithful tragedies without even having the chance to run and fight.

Once he entered the boy’s quarters, it was chaos, not a single spot of life could be found. They were murdered quite brutally, one even hanging from the ceiling. 

Stopping his breathing, he closed his eyes shut and slammed the door. He wanted to gag, stop and run outside, but the girl’s room creaking caught his attention. It was already a bad experience for him when Isabel’s reaping came, what more gruesome experience can the place give him? 

All the girls were still laying down on their beds, looking like they were peacefully sleeping, except that they all looked pale, some even eyes wide open, veins almost popping. They all had wires tied around their next like it was bowed. It may seem like a pretty way to die for some, but to him, it was cruel. None of the orphans deserved to die in such way.

Then, he heard weeping from one room in particular. He knew who it was, and he already knew what he was bound to see.

Abby was on her knees, down the floor, the bottom of her dress soaked on the blood of the two bodies in front of her. Both her hands were covering her face, but it couldn’t conceal the tears that spilled out, and her cries that were muffled, yet audible.

He had removed his coat from his own torso and draped it around her shoulders. There he saw that Leelu was on Abby’s lap, the poor baby having a bullet hole right at its stomach. 

He sat beside his partner and took the cold hand of the man whom he considered as the source of his hardships before. He still owed the man after all. The pastor was the one who took care of him, made him who he was today at the very least, and helped him unlock the mystery by a small bit. Now the priest who wished to redeem himself had now presided up to heaven, with all the children he had taken care of.

Somehow, he felt no anger towards the murderer for what he saw. He felt sadness, remorse, and most of all, despising himself. He brought the hell upon all the people in the orphanage. If he had not used them as his platform to fulfill his vengeance, then they would have lived. The pastor would have helped more abandoned children when the reaping is over, the kids would have grown up to become who they want to be. He blamed himself, he hated on himself.

Abby was coping up no better, she continued to cry over everything. He knew that she also blamed herself and he wanted her to stop. It was breaking him even more that she was hurting, it was the most painful punishment for him, specially that she won’t let go of the baby by her lap.

His thoughts started to spiral unto undesired things, he needed to get out of the place as soon as possible, he needed something, a distraction.

Taking Abby by the hand, he dragged her out, the infant’s cold lifeless body rolling out of her grasp. She pleaded for him to let her go, but he won’t budge. They needed to get out of their miserable selves immediately.

**————**

He knew that she was upset, by the way she wouldn’t dare look at him or talk to him even if they weren’t even a meter apart from the round table. He didn’t mind the stares people were giving them inside the bar, it was the least of his concerns at the moment.

He just kept on chugging down, mug after mug, the smell of malt in the beer transferring to his skin, mouth and clothes. Their formal wear which used to look so pristine both looked tattered and dirty now. Abby’s feet weren’t even clad in shoes, and his white button down was already stained with liquor. He didn’t have the time to care about hygiene, he just kept blaming himself for what happened, downing his sorrow in the bitter taste of Heineken, and occasionally shots of Bacardi he’d ask from the waiter.

When his vision became cloudy, he started slurring out, his cries about his faults. He told inaudible tales about how awful of a person he was, why the world always seemed to throw big boulders at him. He was just human after all, that could still get hurt. He can see his partner wincing upon his current condition, yet he continued to drink his night away. He wanted to get more wasted than he already was, looking for some bliss near to death.

“Levi that’s enough” she finally spoke, brown eyes filled with worry, she placed her hand on his and pleaded him to put the mug down. He only retracted and slapped her hand away.

“What stop? I need more!” he hissed. “One more!” he flailed his arm in the air, till a server would come and give him his fill.

“Stop giving him booze” she had sent the waiter daggers which made him stand back. Where is the nearest motel here?” she asked.

“Oy! Stop listening to that woman and give me more beer!” he growled.

“D- down right two blocks away ma’am. Y-yes sir!” The poor boy scrambled, confused on who to follow among the two. Abby had grabbed the boy’s wrist and glared at him.

“I said enough. Here’s the payment and tip. Thank you and we’re leaving” His wallet was suddenly in her hands, he didn’t know where she got it, but the next thing he knew, she was dragging him out of the pub using her improved bionic strength. Still, he knew he was much more stronger than her, he furiously shook his arms off her grasp and angrily looked at her.

“Why the hell are you giving a fuck about me?! Let me go and live on my own!” he screamed, yet she looked at him with the most emotionless eyes. She suddenly felt like a stranger to him, does she regret meeting him? Now his thoughts started to whirl around again, becoming more painful, he needed more booze.

He was about to trudge back inside the bar when she pulled him again, his blurry vision making him fall back and stumble along with her. He cursed, she was not going to let him go.

A small bell chimed, the air suddenly smelling like rusted pipes and old wood. Only a candle from the concierge lit up the place, an old woman sitting at the other side. Abby had taken out a five dollar bill and placed it at the counter, the old receptionist staring at the both of them.

“One room, just for the night” Abby calmly uttered.

“My dear, we have no electricity today, Its cold and dark, I-“ Abby had cut off the old woman.

“It’s okay, we just need somewhere to sleep in” the woman gave her a nod and a pair of keys.

They had ascended up the stairs, about three floors, with Abby having to drag him up as he couldn’t walk straight. As soon as they entered their room, she had pushed him towards the bed and sighed, pulling out a chair from the corner and sitting there with her face in her palms. He can see that she was frustrated, but he was too, and the alcohol in his system was making him more agitated then he was. He just needed to be knocked out, by what he thought would be more alcohol, and she deprived him from that.

“You should have not stopped me!” he spat out towards her. “I just want to drown myself and your kill joy constipated tight ass won’t let me” he was like a child, angrily teasing her, and she isn’t pleased with it.

“The last time we drank, I challenged you to get drunk and you didn’t. Now that you actually are, I regret it” she started to rant.

“And so? What does that prove you twat?” he laughed like a braggart

“That you may be humanity’s strongest soldier, but you are still a fucking idiot” she retorted. “I expected better from you Levi” she shook her head in disappointment.

“And you know me that much to judge me?” he ran his hand through his hair. “Forget about it, don’t even think about affiliating yourself with me. For all I know you could get killed too”.

He looked at her with so much love, no he can’t stand thinking about her getting scarred or killed. He’d rather die than lose her too. He was on the verge of crying, his mind was torturing him, beating his own self up in sorrow and regrets. He knew that regret was not a choice to be made, but who had he become, why was he having these thoughts. He was beyond confused. Why do people care anyway? They should not, they would only be harmed.

“I’d still stand by your side even if I would be killed. If I won’t, then what purpose would I have?” she stood up, taking two steps nearer to him, her face red with an emotion he can’t decipher.

“What are you anyway to me?!” He himself stood up, arguing. He wanted her to stay away, not get closer.

“Your partner!” she shot back, inching closer.

“Just that! f it wasn’t for work, you wouldn’t even be here! Just go!” he growled.

“What the fuck are you talking about Levi?! I’ll still be here even so! Why are you being so foolish and selfish?!” they were both on the height of their anger, none of them getting fazed.

“Am I the selfish one here? I’m telling you to leave me! Is that a selfish request? I’m doing it for you!” tears had began rolling down his cheeks, her expression suddenly softening.

“I’m never going to leave you. I told you before, we’ll get through everything together” she sighed.

“Why do you even care?” he sighed, shoulders shaking, trying to stop himself from crying. His own self betrayed him, the hot tears not stopping, droplets hitting the floor as he bowed his head down.

He felt her presence close to him, his forehead resting on her bare shoulders as he wept. She was hugging him, he wanted to push her away, but he couldn’t, he was too weak at the moment and her comfort was too inviting. How long had he yearned for affection, for a hug, he didn’t know, but now he knew, that he didn’t need the booze and liquor to become sober the next morning, he needed love.

“Because I love you” she whispered softly to him, his eyes suddenly wide in surprise, heart thumping wildly. Her lips had suddenly crashed upon his, molding softly, a perfect fitting puzzle piece, a match made in heaven.

**— Abby —**

For the longest time, she had tried not to mind the fluttering her chest does whenever it came to matters about Levi. She knew she wasn’t human after all, she had no emotions. Yet from the very beginning, human emotions was something she was intrigued in. She wanted to decode it, what it means, little did she know that she was already starting to feel. The other bionics said to it her, she was expressing emotions, she’s human.

She denied the fact that she was a living breathing person, not a machine, just because of her loyalty to her creator, a man she called father whom she didn’t even get any love from. That was the one human emotion she had always searched for, wanting to know what it was, love. She thought it was as low as what Zeke Jaeger had shown her, simply breathing life into her, yet he did not love her. The proof was when he killed all others just because she refused to be wiped out, getting wiped out was painful on its own as well. Zeke did not show her even mercy, he wanted her to reboot, just because she found out things she shouldn’t have.

But there is one person that showed the true meaning of love to her, one who was an unlikely candidate at first. She remained quiet, unsure and confused, the heart was the carrier of love and she didn’t have it, but why was her chest erratic whenever she is with him. His joy is her joy, his pain, hers. She wanted to be with him, protect him, because he showed her his vulnerability, he showed her the real world, he showed her how to care, how to love.

Levi is a complex person to some, but she had learned to understand him, love him. Then on this night accompanied with bliss and pain, she was ready to give the bliss and pain of love to him. She’d seal her fate with him, witnessed by the glow of the moon.

Their lips meld together in passion, slowly at first, with her doing all the work, but when he snapped to his senses, he had began kissing her back with much more ardor. She had no experience, yet she knew she was doing the right thing when she let her hands get tangled up on his hair. She was moving with nothing dictating to her. It felt so natural, like it was meant to be. It felt good.

She bit his bottom lip, his tears suddenly replaced by sharp eyes which drew her in even more. She took in a sharp breath along with his groan. His stare at at her made her confused, he looked angry yet lustful and it sent her over the edge. 

He pulled her waist closer to his torso, his tongue entering her mouth and exploring with force. She tugged at his hair, craving more, a bubbling feeling arising from her stomach. He had started rubbing circles on the sides of her body, slightly tickling her and making her legs go weak. He caught her thighs and carried her, her gown crumpling and the fabric falling mostly behind her.

Once her back hit the bed, he continued giving her hot kisses, his arms supporting his weight, while she fumbled with his tie and the buttons of his dress shirt. He had moved on to kissing the exposed parts of her skin, her shoulders and collar bones. She had found it endearing that his favorite part of her was her collar bones, she had noticed it by the way he’d always stare at them since before. She let out a soft moan as he bit, a purple bruise on the part. He wad left his mark on her, a hickey.

Then, he stoped, her eyes roaming around his exposed upper body, the way his muscles were toned. She couldn’t stop her hands from exploring, running her fingers through his biceps, then his abs. He’s gorgeous. Then he met his eyes, his eyes that was filled with hunger, yet trying to be gentle. He was asking for permission, and she gave him a nod. She was sure about it, she was going to give it to him.

She had arched her back and given him access to the zipper. He had quickly fumbled with it, then her upper torso was also exposed like his. She did not have big breasts, but he found himself enjoying them. He kissed them gently first, before working on them with his fingers and tongue. Her breaths became sharper by each stroke he made, hips buckling whenever she felt the warmth of his mouth surrounding her nipples. Her stomach became to churn, her sensitive parts asking for something more. Her hips bucked, a knee raising up and peeking through the slit of her gown.

He had seemed to notice her lower frustration as he finally tugged the dress off, only panties baring the rest of her. He had places one of his hands on her right thigh, running up and down her skin. She bit her lip, trying not to make much noise, her eyes shutting tight whenever his fingers drew dangerously close to her core. He smirked, he was teasing her, and she was beginning to get impatient.

She made the move and pulled his neck closer to her quite bravely, leaving him to work on the buttons of his own pants while she kissed him lustfully. She was fighting for dominance and he loved it, the side of her that was so bold. 

She had bitten on his skin by his neck, behind his ears, leaving her own mark there, a proud smile adorning her lips. Before he could move to touch her, she had his only supporting arm down, and herself, on top of him. His mouth hung agape at their sudden change of position. Feisty was what she was.

Seeing that he too was getting impatient from below, she had placed herself on it, feeling it, and moving against it. He let out a small moan, while she looked up, trying to hide how good it feels. He did not let her do all the work, his hands making their way unto her hips and occasionally on her breasts, guiding her where it would be much more exciting for him, for the both of them.

When her panting became more audible, sweat trickling down the both of them, and wetness coming over his and her underwear, he had let her settle down first, just sitting on top of him till she regained her normal breathing. Then he had made her lay down under him again, a soft peck on her lips before he brought the kisses down the valley of her chest, her belly button, inner thighs, and finally, to the most sensitive part of her.

Her hips buckled and her back arched as soon as his hot breath hit her core. He didn’t even remove her panties yet, but she was ready for him, already slick and willing. He grazed his thumb over her, a series of moans coming out of her lips once he swirled. He waited till she gave a fit of wetness again, before he slid down the fabric until it was long forgotten on the floor.

“Are you sure you want this?” he took the moment to ask, he really loves her, he wouldn’t want to do anything against her will.

“Y-yes” she shakily replied, having a hard time to look at him due to the fatigue she felt. Her nape hit the pillow again and he started with his magic.

She groaned once he kissed her core, it felt sloppy, yet really good, she wanted more, she demanded more. She moved her hips closer to him on purpose, he held her legs down pinned to the mattress as she squirmed, pleasure overwhelming her senses. She gasped and took a sharp breath once he slid a finger inside of her. For a moment it stung, it felt foreign, but once he started moving it, it felt like heaven. He eventually added another finger into it, then interchanging it with his tongue. It was like an overwhelming amount of joy to her, feeling so great, feeling so loved.

Once she had erupted once again, he had removed his own boxers and slid quickly inside of her. A pang of extreme pain hit her, her eyes sown shut as she tried to muffle down a scream which still came out as a whimper. He withdrew, then stared at her with so much concern.

“I’m sorry” he gave her an assuring gentle kiss, imploring her eyes if she wanted to do it. Again, she nodded and given him the go signal.

He inserted himself again, gently and slowly this time. She inhaled, feeling the pain, he stopped, before moving slowly, pumping in and out steadily. It had taken her a few minutes before she could get used to his length, the throbbing seeming like a euphoric torture each and every time. The next thing she knew, she was enjoying it, her hips even moving along to meet him. He started going faster, much harder, by which she accepted with moaning and panting. Her fingers started to claw on the sheets as she tried not to scream.

Her core started to rapture, pure ecstasy filling her senses. Her eyes fluttered as her back arched, the delight was just was too good, she didn’t want him to stop, but she knew that they were both beat and exhausted. Still, it was the best thing that ever happened to her.

Levi pulled out as she gushed for the last time, his own produce spilling out on the covers. They both breathed in and out, trying to catch each other’s breaths. He had laid down beside her, giving her one more soft kiss before embracing her naked body tightly.

He ran his hands through her hair as she listened to the rhythm of his heartbeat. It was steady, calming, and she knew that it was beating for her. She felt happy, complete.

“I love you” he whispered, this time, giving a peck right at the center of her forehead.

She hummed in response, a smile plastered on her lips. She drew his arms that was draped over her closer to her chest and closed her eyes. The bliss the felt that night was incomparable to anything, she can say that she had reached heaven on her own terms.

##  PLAYLIST 

  
**Everglow by Coldplay**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/5qfZRNjt2TkHEL12r3sDEU_

**Passacaglia for Violin and Viola by Johan Halvorsen**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/3qpDZxipz329ptcKuQY35i_

**Human by Christina Perri**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/1zVhMuH7agsRe6XkljIY4U_

**All I want Kodaline**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/2jTidefcsTu6VQhpIImJrt_

**Final Warning by Skylar Grey**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/1NFn92i746lalZ9BWdZPea_

**Skinny Love by Birdy**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/2hRMHB4ZEYrCBM0d0vVEdq_

**Skyfall by Adele**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/3mr584ZFSkZrWja9kJAzlb_

**One Last Night by Vaults**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/36sEAL5Vjx4FTz1Lbg0Kbg_

**Elastic Heart by Sia**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/6kwAbEjseqBob48jCus7Sz_

**Young and Beautiful - DH Orchestral Version by Lana Del Rey**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/78cr83zOo75Rl7ApaRj1MV_

**Mad World by Jasmine Thompson**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/7379a5lsE9tnlU754mpIlk_

**Bust your Windows by Jazmine Sullivan**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/56z2qI0gKcPthQF6l8AW3E_

**I’ll Be by Edwin McCain**  
_https://open.spotify.com/track/5K7AMlpc4796JRWXb26nCV_  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How is Valentines day for everyone? I received a couple of flowers, chocolates and a headband from my friends and fam an of course, my special someone. I hope no one is bitter today! Even if you are, I hope my story gave a smile to your face at least :)
> 
> **HAPPY VALENTINES AGAIN!!! TILL THE NEXT CHAPTER!!**


	16. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby, finally accepting her humanity, agrees to find out the truth and go back to the laboratory. Yet, Levi's new doubts and fears still prevail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **WARNING:** Intense fight scenes, and probably a heart triggering scene for some.
> 
> _The result of writing while listening to Toxic by Britney Spears and a mix of Kpop and EDM. Which Kpop groups do you guys like? I like T-Ara, Momoland, Twice and Red Velvet_

**— Levi —**

He woke up all so suddenly, body seemingly not ready with his sudden jerk as it had just risen from its completely rested state. How long has it been since he had a god night’s sleep like this? What time was it even, it had to be near the middle of the day if the sun was already shinning that bright to pass through barely sheer curtains.

The memories of his blissful night came crashing back into him, the feel of her lips, the taste of her mouth, her. His eyes scanned the room, only silence greeting him. Where was she? He suddenly became worried. He was still naked once his feet padded the floor, all her belongings scattered along with his. Did she leave him? Walked out of the room wearing nothing?

“Shit” he hissed, cursing quite loudly to himself. What wrong did he do for her to leave him? He quickly pulled up his pants and threw his polo over his shoulders before sliding the sleeves smoothly through his arm. His hands shook while fastening the buttons, teeth chattering while he tried to be nimble. Where was Abby?

Then the door swung open, startling him. If he wasn’t in this messy state, he would have lunged at the sudden company, he was glad he wasn’t, there she stood, staring at him with questioning eyes.

She was already wearing her usual uniform, the tight battle suit, her bare feet last night already adorned with her thigh high boots, her glasses were back and so was the usual high pony tail. His expression mimicked her confused one, and they stared at each other like fools for minutes, that was until she broke the stare and flashed him a smile.

He wished he could also return the toothy grin, but he was hesitant to look stupid, not when he was looking at the beauty of her. How does she manage to look so bright and gorgeous while showing her set of teeth? He just couldn’t do the same, it felt awkward, unnatural.

“I figured you needed a long rest so I didn’t wake you up” her kind smile dawned upon him, making his morning even better than it already was. She walked slowly towards the window and opened the curtains, letting herself bask under the sunlight while her arms rested on the window pane.

“Where’d you get your uniform?” he asked her.

“Kirchtein, the kid you saved in Dauper, he works for the corps now. He delivered our clothes by orders of Erwin. I’m surprised you had not went in the bathroom first, I left yours in there, assuming that of course, you clean first like you always do” she explained

His face turned pink, heat crawling up to his cheeks in embarrassment. He tried to look away from her while she chuckled. That was how disoriented he was after being relaxed, he forgot that cleanliness was the first priority.

Then, her grin was suddenly masked with sadness due to her eyes. She sighed and looked up at the sky. He had focused on her again, he knew that she was going to say something important.

“I… have also told Erwin about the orphanage, he said Mike and him would take of it personally this morning. I do hope the pastor and kid’s souls find their way into heaven” she started, then turned to him, expression suddenly turning firm and serious. “I’m taking you back to the lab tonight”

His eyes became wide in surprise. He didn’t want her to go back there and be hurt again, to the point where she’d break again and again. Not now, not when everything seemed so perfect the night before.

“I can still tell what you’re thinking Levi, We do still have a mind link… no, think of it as I am already a part of you” she flashed a small smile this time, one where her lips are closed into a thin line, she was just reassuring him. “I’m fine now, plus, I want to find out everything. It wasn’t right of my father- no, Zeke, to kill any of the kids nor Pastor Nick” she hissed, every word coming out spiteful and full of hatred. “Its time to end this madness. I thought at first he couldn’t do anything like that because he breathes life into me, and all of the bionics, but killing innocent children? That crossed beyond the line. I want to know who he really is, who I really am, what are bionics. I want to put an end to this as much as you do”

He found himself inching closer towards her, his arms linking together around her, trapping her into a hug while he rested his head on her back. He knew it wasn’t a spontaneous a move a person like him could normally do, but it felt right. He meant it as a display of gratitude and happiness for her. He knew that she knows he isn’t good with words, he just hoped that his message came across clearly to her this time.

She wiggled herself so that she could face him, the side of his head now cushioned in between her boobs. They weren’t much, but they existed, like a firm pillow that he preferred rather than soft ones where he’d sink in and feel like suffocating. She ran her slender fingers through his hair giving him a strong sense of comfort.

Deep inside, he was still scared, not for himself, but for her. She had just went through a series of traumatic events in their not so distant past, he wasn’t sure if she could handle it, even if she would assure him heaps of times that she could.

“I already said it Levi, my decision is final, its time to face the truth” she whispered, resting her chin on top of his head due to the inches of height she had more than him. “I’m just hoping my partner won’t leave me in the air right now and decide to chicken out the last minute” she chuckled, staring at him.

“I’d never leave you” he scoffed at her teasing. “I wouldn’t let a clumsy four eyes like you go through battle alone”. I would never leave you alone in pain was what he meant.

“Good to know Levi, Good to know” she responded.

**————**

There’s no other past missions or assignments that made his heart thump as hard as it did right now as he tried to load his gun with ammo. She sat beside him, checking her own self and weapons, yet he couldn’t help it but feel unease. His teeth clattered together as he gripped the magazine way too tight than he should. He knew they would both survive, he didn’t doubt their skills, plus if anything goes wrong, he was prepared to fight for her. His only worry was her mental health that had a chance of deteriorating more than it already did.

Yet again, she came into this mess in her own terms. Sure the issue was started by him and his desire to avenge his siblings, but she also need to find out the truth, to find out herself. It was a win-win situation for the both of them, but he felt a greater weight on his shoulders, not balanced between them.

He is responsible for the woman he loves, he’d never forgive himself if anything bad happens to her. He needed to be extra prepared to defend himself, but specially her.

“Levi!” she snapped him out, her eyes full of concern. “This isn’t a one man show, I’m your partner, you can trust me” she placed a hand over his shaking ones to calm him down.

“I know” he sighed. “But still, I want to protect you, I’d hide you away in the headquarters if I can”

“But you know you need me” she reminded him. “I still have abilities that can help us navigate through the lab, think of ways to escape, fight. You are protecting me Levi, I’m just enhancing what you’re doing. Plus you know you can’t keep me away from the quarters I also need to find out things” she paused. “And remember that Kirchstein is just on the look out to give signals to Erwin incase we need backup”

Truth be told, they weren’t just blindly infiltrating the lab like last time. This time, they have a concrete plan which involves the support of the corps. Its a flawless plan which Abby coordinated on her own while he was still fast asleep. Her brilliance would never lead them astray, he assured himself.

“Alright then” he blinked his eyes and took in a sharp breath strapping the Thompson SMG against his back. He eyed at her if she was ready, and once she gave him a nod as a signal, they started running through the trees, with her in front of him so he could watch her back.

They sprinted as quietly as they could, going on for about thirty to fifty meters before crouching behind a couple of bushes to scout the area first. As they anticipated, the lab would be guarded now, unlike when they first broke through. The quiet eerie space was now filled with men who sported their own big guns. 

Abby’s eyes glowed turquoise, bright enough for him to notice but dim enough not to draw out any enemies. She was scanning the whole place, depicting where it would be better to attack.

“We have no choice but to fight all these goons, even the back has signs of human heat” she hissed, flipping the safety switch off her gun. “About ten at the front, ten at the back, possibly twenty backups who are just lingering around the first floor”

“Hmm” a hum was all he could muster to say, prepping his own weapon.

“I’ll go ahead as planned, killing as much as I can before you come into the picture” she reiterated the plan to him, even if he had it memorized behind his mind. 

Still, a part of him was reluctant. he felt like his confidence dropped, his gaze falling to the floor. That was, until he felt her warm slender fingers under his chin. Soon enough, his eyes met with her strong and firm gaze.

“Don’t die” he whispered to her, before their lips touched for a brief moment.

“I don’t plan to” she smiled at him, before turning her back against him.

The heavy feeling in his heart would never fade away, but her bravery was lifting him high above. With her, he knew nothing is impossible, they can go through everything together, nothing can stop them. Hardening his own gaze, he proceeded to prepare as he watched her back, with a gun ready to fire from his hands.

She leapt up, till she was high enough up in the sky, taking three guards who were at the gate by surprise. She had rained down bullets from her riffle, and taking down two more men before her feet landed back to the ground. As predicted, the others from the back left their posts to charge at where the intruder was.

She quickly dodged their bullets, docking down and positioning herself with one knee knelt to the ground. She put the gun closer to shoulder level to get a better aim before continuously shooting at every enemy that ran towards her. 

When goons started to appear from behind her, that’s when he stood up and went to her aid, shooting while he ran, before making it back to back with her. By the time her bullet belt went out of ammo, the both of them had killed nearly thirty five men if his count was correct, but of course, their fight wasn’t over yet.

Abby threw her gun aside and snatched a new one from a fallen body near her. She checked the gun if it had enough ammo before nodding at him. The two of them made their way inside the building, where some remaining guards still tried to apprehend them.

Once they reached the second floor, a stray bullet had flew right at them before they could even make the turn. He pulled her back towards him to hide behind the fall, his heart racing frantically as he swapped places with her and shot down the goon quickly. His eyes widened in shock as he stared back at her.

“What?” she asked, totally oblivious to the fact that her left cheek was scarred, until blood had dripped down to the cold floor.

He silently cursed, pulling out a handkerchief that he had at his back pocket. He was about to wipe the blood off but she declined, putting his hand aside softly.

“Its okay Levi, remember that I can regenerate small wounds like this” she gave him that small reassuring smile again which only made him sigh. He knew it, but he also knew that there was a limit to her body. That was what he was afraid of. If she went past her breaking point, the only way to retrieve her was to get Zeke Jaeger to fix her, but for sure, he won’t do that, he’d make her obsolete and never give her back to him once he had his hands on her again.

“Over there!” he protectively slung his body over her and pulled her to drop down to the floor with him. He quickly whipped out his gun and shot the next set of guards straight at the head like the pro he is. 

“Lets go” he growled, pulling her along with him.

They navigated through the halls without speaking to each other, only their breaths that they tried to catch can be heard, until they had reached the eighth floor, the same floor where the ‘premature’ bionics were.

He faced her to look for any signs of discomfort before they entered the halls where tubes filled with young girls were. All he saw was a brave, stone cold face as she went past him with her eyebrows scrunched up.

“Something feels wrong” she told him, as he padded carefully behind her.

“What is it?” he inquired.

“I don’t… sense any sign of life or anything unlike last time” she breathed out, quickening her pace to enter the room.

Truth be told, the once blue glowing tubes were now empty, cold air greeting them. Everything was dark, devoid of anything.

“Are we too late?” she hissed, going further down the hall.

He continued to follow her, a million question racing in his own thoughts, ones he was sure she would also know via the mind link. Why were the tubes empty? Where would they hide and transfer the bionics? And why was the building heavily guarded even if it was useless? Unless.

A bright light blinking from his right suddenly caught his attention. He squinted his eyes to make sight of what it was, then, it multiplied, to two, five, tens, until it felt like red glowing super nova stars coming for them.

“Levi?!” her voice was in a state of panic, pulling at his sleeve to run away while he stared at them like a deer in the headlights.

It was a trap, he should have known.

The red lights started to blink faster, furiously, and started beeping, one that almost broke eardrums due to the loudness caused by the amount. He finally snapped out of his trans and ran away with her.

He heard two small pops before he felt his body being lifted off. Abby had used her skates and carried him, trying to get away from the bombs as fast as they can. She turned away from the hall and tried to find an opportunity to get out of the building. 

She nearly tripped and dropped him when a loud boom erupted, the ground suddenly shaking, heat starting to form from behind them. He looked back, his eyes widening seeing that fire was chasing them, only a few meters away from them. He didn’t want to startle her so he remained calm, but he knew that she was already frantic, her pace quickening and her breath hitching even more.

“Hold on” she warned him, giving him a small glance, some of her sweat dropping down to his own cheeks.

“What?” he asked, not quite hearing it clear due to another fit of bombs exploding.

“Hold on tight god damn it!” she growled, teeth clattering together as soon as she placed him behind her back in a piggy back position, unlike the bridal style carrying she was doing a few moments ago.

Everything happened fast in the blink of an eye. She shielded her face with her arms and broke through glass, jumping from a window straight from the eight floor as they safely got away from the fire and explosion, but now faced the danger of gravity.

Wind hit his face as he held unto her tightly just like she said. She quickly turned around on air, pulling out a rope with a hook at the end she had prepared by her waist. She threw it to anchor it by an exposed steel debris of the establishment, the top of the building already blown away. She quickly tried to rappel down, the danger not yet down for the two of them.

It felt like they were racing against death, with Abby having to unhook and unhook their anchor once in a while due to floor by floor collapsing. There was also the risk of heavy debris hitting them, but they were efficiently dodging them for now.

“We’re going to make it!” he heard her encouraging herself. They were still a good four floors away from the ground, which he cursed to. The explosions seemed to be getting nearer and faster by the moment.

As if the world had them jinxed, the explosion had occurred right at the third floor, where they had just went down to.

“Fuck!” Abby cursed, letting go of the rope as he closed his eyes, the wind getting colder against him, until he felt her warmth. She was holding him protectively, which he hated, he should be the one doing it. 

The next thing he knew, they dropped down, darkness surrounding them momentarily, explosions going off here and there before it died down. He heard how she was having a hard time breathing, yet he couldn’t quite see how her state was after she had just shielded everything for him after the fall.

She grunted, before lifting the debris that were thankfully in smaller chunks above them. She coughed as soon as they can breathe clean air again, dropping to her knees as he hurried beside her.

His skin turned pale when he saw the damage down to her back and parts of her arms and legs. Scrapes were here and there, bleeding, some bionic or mechanical parts peeking out. She was near her breaking point and he knew it.

“Abby” he whispered, having a fit of anger within himself, not at her, but for himself. He was supposed to protect her throughout this mission and make sure the exact thing did not happen, but it was the opposite. He would not make it if he had lost her too, he just can’t.

“L-lets get out of here” she breathed out, trying to stand up before dropping back again.

“Stop it!” he finally spoke out, quite to late. “It was not supposed to look like this” he breathed out, tears threatening to spill out his eyes.

The sound of stones crunching from under foot alerted him. He pulled out his last hand gun that was tucked away from a strap at high thigh and faced to where the sound was from. 

As if the odds were really testing him, there stood the girl he was looking for years and years. Standing in her full glory, the same silver, black and turquoise uniform Abby sported, her same red pigtails that he himself used to fix.

“Isabel” he whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very sorry again, for the hiatus (I always say sorry for this and here I am again, such a negligent author). Its just that academics are really eating me up and I'm so happy that they gave us a week of break (I finally can write this chapter)
> 
> I am very happy that this fic already reached **1000+ VIEWS** Can you believe that?!?!?! Because I can't! Thank you so so much to everyone who has read 4100 so far! I am really trying my best to update more often and provide better content for everyone. 
> 
> Please bare with my death schedule for four more chapters (YES WE ARE ON FINAL FOUR CHAPTERS excluding this chapter). **Who is ready for the finale?** Not me! 
> 
> Without further a do, SEE YOU GUYS ON THE NEXT CHAPTERS OF 4100, And probably on my next book entitled Fallen ;)


	17. Thicker than Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alas Levi had found Isabel, yet there are more things than this success that should be revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two more bionics aside from Isabel will be spotted! **_Can you guess who they are?_**

**—Levi—**

His hands shook, grip unsteady against the gun, his skin becoming even more pale, as if he’s seen a ghost. His lips quivered as he stared at her dead eyes, eyes that had been fixated at him as if telling him everything he had done wrong. He dropped his weapon to the ground as well as his gaze, tears silently falling from his eyes, his aura darkening in remorse and sadness.

“Levi?” Abby whispered, grunting and getting back to her feet, still having a hard time, yet his body was too frozen to assist her.

She too froze, her eyes wide as soon as it connected with the other bionic across them. It wasn’t for the same reason Levi was shocked, it was because she saw the other girl as an enemy. He stance quickly hardened again, despite the hardship that was evident in her eyes.

His gears had gone to move again when Abby had snatched his handgun from the ground and pointed it against his long lost sister. He raised an arm to signal her to put down her weapon, yet she wasn’t fazed. She showed nothing but signs of being ready to fight while Isabel stood out there doing nothing. He faced her, an angry look in his face, directed at her.

“Abby!” he growled, giving her a firm cold stare so she would follow his orders, yet still, she remained strong on her ground. “Abby! She’s not even doing anything! Please!” he pleaded with her, his eyes softening.

Although it was evident in her eyes that she was reluctant, she fulfilled his request, lowering the gun yet never putting it completely down. Her eyes had also been fixated on the other bionic, glowing green as if she was studying Isabel. It was full of caution, disdain and uncertainty.

She flinched once he slid down the pile of debris that they had been on top of. Abby was like a hawk ready to attack any moment, yet remained observant until the right moment. He took note of it, one wrong move and Isabel would be killed. He did not want that, he had yearned for Isabel ever since she was taken away right in front of him, not that she’s there again, he didn’t want to lose her for the second time. She was the soul reason why he became a cop, this was his prime moment and mission, she was finally there, living, breathing, alive.

“Isabel” his voice as soft as cooing to a precious child, as he emerged from his position, walking towards her really slowly.

Isabel remained standing, staring at him emotionless only a few meters away. She had grown so much, into a woman, someone who looks like she’s strong, that she could defend herself on her own. He wished he could be proud of the immense power she is displaying at the moment, but he wasn’t. It could have been a product of natural growth, if only Isabel had grown up with him and Farlan. But no, she was taken away at a young age and made into a part robot part human with the purpose of killing. He wondered what kind of life she lived while he spent years training and looking for her. Was she battered, beat up, hurt? Or was she treated well? He knew better, it wouldn’t be on the positive side, and whoever she is now, was a product of cruelty.

Deep inside, he beat himself up for her state, for not looking earlier and saving her earlier, yet he did not regret anything. She could still be saved right? Abby found out the truth and accepted it. Could she still be reverted back to her old memory and old self? He just had to try. 

He’d make up for all the years, the happiness, experiences she missed. Even if she’s already a bionic, she can still eat, sleep, travel like Abby. She’d even be more fit, they’d have countless adventures and fun, just like they did when they were kids.

“Isabel, do you remember me? Your big bro?” he asked her, remembering the nickname she used to call him. He remembered how good he felt whenever she did. For once, he felt like he was tall, and her dependence on him made him feel strong.

A wave of memories came rushing over back to him. Her smile, the way she’d laugh around pranking him and Farlan. The way she would frown when he’d tell her to help them clean along with the Pastor. The way her face becomes messy when she ate, and all the other shenanigans she did.

“Remember when you said you wanted to ride a horse before? I can take you to the corps’ stables, I have my own horse there, you can use him” he told her, taking another step forward.

Isabel tilted her head to the side, mouth forming an ‘o’. He had a bit of hope, that she understood what he was saying. She was reacting to it, she had to be.

Then he heard a gun’s safety being flicked off. He stared back at Abby, holding his hand up in a halt sign so she would not do it.

“Abby stop!” he growled at her, angrily this time. He thought she already listened to him, yet she was showing her stubborn side again.

“She’s going to kill you” Abby responded, her grip on the gun back at shooting stance again, the levelers right at her eye level so that she knew she wouldn’t miss even in a long distance.

“She is not! Right Isabel? You remember me right?!” he turned back to the red head, desperate that she would say something, anything. “Remember your favorite food? That bag of licorice the Pastor used to buy only during your birthday? You can have them everyday, I’d buy them for you. I won’t mind if you get your cheeks and your clothes sticky and dirty, I’ll just wash them on my own”

Isabel tilted her head to the other side, eyes mimicking Abby’s glowing turquoise ones. Bionics display it when they are concentrating on thinking, analyzing things, or planning for a trajectory. He couldn’t decipher Isabel’s if it were a good or bad sign unlike how he does with Abby’s. He felt even more guilt, he can’t even tell his own sister, yet can tell what Abby is feeling or even thinking so easily. 

“Levi, get back” Abby warned from behind him, yet he continuously signed her off to not move or shoot. “Levi I mean it!” she screamed. “She is not hesitating to kill you she doesn’t know you!” 

“She knows me!” he shouted back. “She knows that she’s the first one out of the orphanage, at the backyard when the seasons change. She loves the scent and colors of blooming flowers in spring and would get soil all over her when she tries to dig for bunnies at the yard because she read about it from her favorite book. She loves the sunlight when its summer and the puddles made by the rainy season. She loves hiding under piles of leaves Farlan and I gathered during the fall and ruining them to surprise us when we are done. She loves the snow and making snow angels in the winter. I might have been an annoying asshole of a big brother who always tells her to clean up because she is dirty, or ties her hair quite tightly because they always tend to fray or fall down. I know she remembers me, I know so!” 

He was trying to convince himself, that he was right. She was looking at him so innocently, like the sweet little girl she was. She’s still the same, he convinced himself. He reached out his hand for her to grab unto. He wanted to bring her back with him to the quarters, give back all the time they had lost apart.

“Lets go Isabel” he inches closer, his arm stretching out to hold her hand. It was only when Isabel flashed him a smile that he was hit with the reality. She isn’t his ‘sister’ right now.

A strong force pulled him back before he was hit by a aquamarine glowing laser, the metal handgun semi-melted inches away from him. Abby’s left arm was hooked around his waist while she skated away, muttering curse words under her breath.

The smile that Isabel gave him, it wasn’t sweet, it was bitter, sinister even. The smile of a psychopath who was ready for murder. Abby was right, she was ready to kill. As a bionic, all of them are programmed to kill the enemy, and in Isabel’s eyes, he was an enemy. He couldn’t blame her, she had just missed an entire life of freedom and innocence because he was too weak to protect her before, and now she’s getting her revenge.

In a course of time, Abby was able to replicate Isabel’s laser gun from her hands, a skill he learned that she can do during their first mission; mimicry. 

He used his two hands to try to put her arm down, yet she wouldn’t budge, the metals inside of her probably stronger than he ever will be.

“Levi stop it!” she scolded him, trying to remove his grip from her with her free hand as gently as she could.

“You cannot kill Isabel! Not now that I’ve finally found her!” he cried out.

“Either I kill her, or she kills us!” she growled, finally removing him from her way.

“She has done nothing wrong! She still has a potential to remember and realize everything like you did! She just needs time!” he was now clinging unto Abby’s waist, his arms hugging her while tears ran down from his eyes, he was desperate.

“We don’t have time Levi!” she faced him, her cold, angry eyes suddenly softening when she saw his state. He was crying, obviously lost on what he should do next.

One zip and a strong light later, the both of them were thrown off behind the pile of debris they were once covered in. Not one second later, the stones and steel disintegrated when Isabel shot at them. They were now open and clear to be killed, the whole area a ruins of something that cannot be deciphered anymore. No one would guess a strong laboratory building once stood in the place.

Abby was panting when she knelt to her knees, trying to stand up. She fell down for a moment but mustered up all her remaining strength to keep going. She was so fixated on killing Isabel and he hated it.

Isabel started to raise her hand up and aim at Abby, the light and zipping noise from her weapon starting up. Abby had raised hers too in defense. He stared at the two women in horror, eyes wide in fear.

“Abby! Please don’t!” he pleaded one last time, shaking his head while she gave him one last glance.

“I’m sorry” she whispered, before two bright lights nearly blinded him.

**—Abby—**

She could hear nothing but a beep, her heavy breathing, and a slow and steady beating. Her vision clouded by a luminescent light before it turned blurry, then slowly adjusting, until only her right eye had restored clear vision.

The sky was dark, devoid of any stars nor clouds, the wind cold, she felt so exposed. Then, she proceeded to scouting herself, her right hands makings its way to her face, a shard of glass pricking her right away. She retracted her finger, her glasses must have been broken that’s why she couldn’t see clearly from her left eye.

Then it dawned on her, she couldn’t feel the left side of her upper torso. Not a single nerve or finger. With the last bit of strength she had, she lifter her neck up, eyes widening in shock and in horror. She had no left arm, wirings and flesh peaking out from her torn body, yet strangely, the beating became louder and louder each minute.

There she saw, a bit of muscles and veins clumped together that made her smile. Even if her vision was at the worst condition at the moment, she could not be mistaken, she had a heart. She is human, and its slow beat was bringing comfort to her even in her painstaking situation. She was just so happy at the discovery.

Then she suddenly remembered Levi, she wanted to tell him, she wanted to share her joy with him, but alas, the man he loved was giving his comfort and his arms that held her so tight the night before to another girl. 

Tears spilled down her eyes, heart suddenly became heavy, pain doubling in effect. She knew that Isabel was his sister, but it just hurt so much specially that she knew they weren’t siblings by blood.

If blood was thicker than water “Whose blood is thicker for you Levi?” she whispered, mouth running dry and throat becoming coarse as she bathed in the irony smell of her own blood.

With one last breath, she proceeded to look at the empty sky, the pain slowly becoming numb, last tears falling off to the cold pavement, before her eyes stared at the space, lifeless.

**—Levi—**

As soon as the light and the loud beep was over, he frantically stood up and searched for his sister. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw her across him, already fallen to the ground and taking her last breaths. He didn’t think of anything else but to sprint to her and be in her aid. This was all his fault, he could have prevented everything ever since they were children if only he was strong enough. Still, until now, he wasn’t able to protect his sister from Abby, she’d be dying because of him.

“Isabel!” his eyes widened in horror once he saw that a portion of her head was missing. Still, the part was devoid of any blood, and only wires stuck out of it. He dropped to his knees and caressed the remaining parts of her in his arms while he cried. This couldn’t be happening, he just got her back now.

“Big brother?” her soft voice, masked by coarseness of breath surprised him. He looked into her eyes which were now glassy, full of life.

“Shh, not now, Isabel, I-I can still save you, w-we can still make it out of here” his eyes searched for an escape some kind of help. Then he remembered that Kirschtein was just in the distance, waiting for any signal for him to call back up. He had picked up a flare from his pocket and fired it with a bright yellow light which could still be seen even in the dark of the night. 

He hoped that their backup would not be late, they can still make it, he could still live a life with Isabel, she could still live if he acts now.

“N-no big bro, there isn’t much time” she wheezed out, yet managed to give him the a smile, the smile that he is familiar with. She is back, but not for long, this made his cries intensify even more, why was the world so against him? Why would it take everything away from him.

Then it dawned on him, Abby was the one who shot Isabel, if it weren’t for Abby, if Abby only gave them a chance, this would not happen.

“I know what you’re thinking” Isabel whispered. “Its not her fault”

“You can connect with me through the mind link?” he asked her, holding her hand while she shook her head no.

“The connection of the heart is stronger than the mind” she looked towards where Abby lain. “She saved me big bro, she had targeted a part of my system which frees me from the control and brainwashing of Zeke Jaeger”

His eyes widened, he was accusing Abby and even left her alone when all she did was do the best for him. Then he suddenly remembered the scars she had even before her dispute with Isabel. She wet past her breaking point already. His heart thumped erratically, he can’t just lose the woman he loves too.

“Its too late for my life big bro-“ he was about to cut her off, but she had placed her pointer finger above his lips to keep him quiet. “But, its not yet too late for her” she continued. “Don’t ever regret about you not taking care of me, the least you can do is fulfill my wish”

“What is it?” he asked her, kissing the back of her hand one last time.

“I had a great time with you and Farlan when I was a kid, I was contented with that, while her, I already saw her in the tube when I arrived in the lab. Even her childhood was stripped away from her Levi, I heard she was taken away even younger than when I did. Find out who she is, love her, and give her the lifetime she deserves, its not yet too late for her, her heart is still beating strong unlike how I don’t have one anymore” there were so many more questions he wanted to ask her, but with one last curve of her lips, her eyes fluttered into deep slumber.

He couldn’t do anything else but to hold her cold body tight in his arms and weep.

“I see you have disposed two of my most beloved and strong bionics Levi?” his rage went back up to him, adrenaline rushing through his veins as he whipped his head back to meet the man who was the real cause of all his hardships. The man who took everyone he loves away from him, non-other than Zeke Jaeger.

He was about to charge at the taller man with just bare hands when he was blocked off by another bionic with black eyes and black hair that stopped right at her shoulders. Her pale white skin did not reflect the immense strength she displayed when she kicked him right at the stomach, making him drop back to the pavement right away.

“Although I’d like to thank you for not fully destroying Abby, she will be of much greater use to me now that I realize I should have not given her to you” another bionic, a blonde one whose hair is tied up in a bun held his left arm while the black haired one held his right. “These two, are called Philomena and Hester” he pointed out first to the raven haired one then to the blonde. “And the red head you killed was named Winter”

“Her name is Isabel!” Levi spat out angrily.

“Ah yes, her old name before she was handed over to me. I should probably do a background check on my creations next time so that incidents like these don’t happen ever again” Zeke responded, pulling out a handgun from his pocket and prepping it. “But I’ll give you a hint about Abby, for one thing if you don’t know yet, she is the only bionic whose heart I retained, the only bionic whose full background I know of” he flicked the safety switch off. “She is unique, special, but you won’t need that fact when you go to hell won’t you?” the gun was aimed right at his chest. “So I’ll tell you her name, since you wouldn’t live off to tell anyone about it” 

Zeke positioned his finger right at the trigger, softly pressing it and getting ready to fire. 

“Her name is Hanji, Hanji Zoe” then, the gun went off, going straight through his heart that beat wildly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last three chapters plus epilogue in the making! Sadly, my midterms come in two weeks plus my grandmother died so I opted to post this chapter now that I still have time. (Please pray for the repose of the soul of my grandmother, I just love her too much)
> 
> I hope you guys liked this chapter! And see you again on the next one :)
> 
> **P.S. If you guessed that the two other bionics are Mikasa and Annie, congratulations!**


	18. Distorted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanji discovers who she really is in a rather painful way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How long has it been? I hope no one forgot about this story :(
> 
> But I am here to make amends to the long time that I have not uploaded (damn college but yay! Its finally summer!) Is everyone ready for the finale? I'm not

**—Abby—**

**“Sun goes down and we are here together,  
fireflies, glow like a thousand charms”**

She was awakened by a sweet soft lullaby, her eyes fluttering awake although something tells her that the calming melody was supposed to make her go to sleep. It was a familiar tune, something she knew she had heard before, but where? 

**“Stay with me and you can dream forever  
right here in my arms, tonight”**

Her gaze was met by mirroring brown orbs like her, side of the woman’s eyes and the corners of the woman’s smile wrinkled, grey hair peeking out from what it seems of two month old worn out hair dye. Still, the woman felt homely to her, the braids on her hair not being able to keep her stray unruly strands. It was like she was looking into the future, or so she thought.

**“It’s magic, when you are here beside me  
Close your eyes and let me hold you tight  
Everything, that I could ever need is   
Right here in my arms tonight”**

From the bed, she suddenly shifted to a standing position in the corner, her state of drowsiness suddenly disappearing. There, she got a clearer view. The woman was putting a little girl of age two to sleep. The girl had a toothy grin, her glasses falling slightly off her nose while she listened to the lullaby that doesn’t seem to work on her.

“Can I sing the next part with you mama?” her sweet soft voice asked, the older woman chuckling and removing the glasses before putting it on the bed side table.

“Of course Hanji, but you have to promise me you’ll sleep after this” the woman responded.

“Yes of course, mama I always do” then, the two proceeded to such a sweet, love filled duet.

**“Summer day fade away  
Stars begin to climb  
Melodies fill the breeze  
Sweeter all the time”**

The child started to yawn, eyes blinking, trying to keep awake. The mother gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. She tucked the blanket on her daughter and dimmed the light of the lamp before feeling a small tug on her dress.

“You’ll always be with me right mama?” the girl inquired, almost in a state of… fear?

Her own heart suddenly thumped, a loud one, one beat that seemed to hit her so hard. What was it?

“Of course not Hanji, now sleep” the woman left the room, closing the door gently, while the little girl drowsed off to slumber. 

She found herself walking towards the bed, touching the kid’s glasses and trying them on. A wave of nostalgia had sent shivers up her spine. What was happening? 

Then, a whirlwind had trapped her in, she felt like she was floating, off to somewhere. Then the night turned into day, her feet had landed unto wooden floors again, laughter in the air. She had stepped back when the child had suddenly rushed passed her and another woman who was dressed in less formal clothes than the mother, holding up a huge bow while chasing the girl.

“Miss Hanji! we have to fix your hair!” the woman cried out, panting in fatigue.

“I don’t want to! Your braids are too tight!” the child responded, blowing a raspberry at whom she assumed was the kid’s maid.

The child bumped unto her own mother, her face suddenly into a frown even if her mother sported a smile.

“Its okay Carla, I’ll take care of it” her soft voice again sounded like music to Abby’s ears. “Hanji, you’ve been giving Carla a hard time again, she’s just trying to dress you up”

“But I don’t like the braids, they hurt” the child complained.

“Alright then, but you have to tie your hair or else you’d get your hair tangled up in the strings of your violin again. The maestro will be here to teach you soon” she booped the girl’s nose, while resulted to a bit of laughter.

“Okay then mama, but you have to tie my hair for me” the kid approached her nanny and took the bow away from her hands before handing it over to her mother. The mother weaved her hair fast and quick, a high ponytail in place, messy but enough to hold it.

She found herself entangling her fingers in her own hair. She had always been the one who tied it that way, and it resembles the way the mother tied her daughter’s hair.

She walked down the hall with the three girls, with her just following behind them. Before they turned into a room, a big framed picture stood proud on the wall. She was drawn to it, to the golds and reds of the canvass, the faces etched on it.

“The royal family Zoe, Augustus Zoe” her eyes made made their way to the man who was on top of the portrait. He had tan skin, like hers, unlike the mother who had porcelain skin. He was also tall, and lean. “Frederick Zoe” a boy in his teens stood next to his father, skin porcelain and brunette hair straight. “Cornelia Zoe” The mother. “And Hanji Zoe”

She read the gold plate under the picture, names engraved in it, tugging at her heart again. The beat, there it goes again, aching with only one loud thump. She clutched her chest, breathing becoming elated. What was happening was connected to her heart.

The Passacaglia had rung out from the room where the women entered. She had played the piece before during the fair she went to with Levi and their company. She found herself, stepping, one step at a time towards the room, to the pace of the music.

That’s when it all clicked to her. The way the child swayed and danced while playing the string instrument gracefully, high ponytail mowing with the wind and momentum, eyes closed and lips pressed unto a thin line. Hanji Zoe, Hanji. Hanji Zoe is her.

Then her head had spiralled, pain shooting right through her skull. She held her head and screamed, crouching down to the floor that seemed to whirl like a tornado around her. The scenes were changing fast, laughing turning into echoes, then into loud booms, banging, and screams.   
Her eyes shot up wide again after the sensation of warm irony scented liquid hitting her cheeks harshly. She thumped down to the floor, now sitting and backing slowly in fear while she watched a cold lifeless body stare at her. It was the boy from the family picture awhile ago, Frederick Zoe, her brother.

She continued to back up, until her back hit small knees. She looked up, and saw herself as a child again, staring at her brother’s body as equally terrified as the older version of her.

“Hanji!” her mother cried out, snapping her and her younger self out of their trance in fear. She ran with the two, away from their ’home’, that was now being engulfed by fire, raided by people she didn’t know.

They passed by the back garden, the maid Carla, opening the gate and letting them out. She could hear her father screaming from inside the house, the child trying to look back but the mother covered her ears and dragged her away.

All three of them were in tears, running away at the full speed that their heeled shoes could take them. She followed her young self and her mother as they ran through meters and meters away, a forest covered by trees that didn’t seem to end. It didn’t help that it was already in the dark of the night, the path was harder to see as they went in deeper, roots of trees becoming more complex and entangled.

A gun shot was heard from behind, the little girl screaming and closing her eyes before tripping into one of the roots.

“Hanji!” the mother cried out, rushing to the aid of her child who cried. Little Hanji can’t seem to get up, holding her ankle which seemed to be sprained. “Shh, hush child” the mother cried out, trying to pipe down her child “Sun goes down, and we are here together” the mother tried to sing the lullaby again, terribly this time. Her voice was shaky from crying and from fear, little Hanji did not stop from bawling. “Fireflies, glow like a thousand charms. Stay with me and we can dream forever, right here in my arms, tonight”

“Cornelia” her fingers twitched upon the voice, it was all too familiar, even more familiar than the face of her own family. Anger rose up to her, heartbeat erratic due to the adrenaline. It was no mistake, it was the voice of the man who took everything away from her, and will stop at nothing to take away everything from her.

“Please Zeke! Spare me and my child!” her mother cried out, holding out her younger version in a tight hug.

“I didn’t even spare my own family what makes you think I’ll spare you?” Zeke laughed, pointing the gun at the two girls without mercy, flipping the safety switch off.

“If you can’t spare me, then at least spare her. For the love of God!” her mother tried to bargain, protecting the child with all her might.

Zeke gave a sinister smile, she knew right away what her ‘father’s’ move was going to be. She tried to run and take the bullet in the stead of her mother, but it only went through her seemingly translucent body.

The loud cry of young her was emphasised throughout the forest. Crawling towards her now lifeless mother who was shot brutally with one bullet through the head.

“Mama!” young Hanji’s small voice echoed, breaking along with her heart. She was told that her dear mama would not leave her. Not that Cornelia Zoe ad the intention to, it was all Zeke Jaeger’s fault. Her rage burned inside of her. He deserves to sink down in hell.

**————**

Zeke Jaeger, the man who took her childhood away from her, and pretended to be her oh so caring father when all she was to him was a tool. She loathed him now, how was she so blind to the point of even almost worshiping him like a God? But that was his goal wasn’t it? To become like God, be the supreme authority and bend people’s wills to his own will.

He was the supreme evil in this story, he did not only fool and do harm to her, but everyone. He killed all members of royal and noble families for supremacy. Took young girls from orphanages and poor families to remove their hearts, feelings and wills so he could have servants. Disguised these ‘personal killing machines’ of his into police and military helpers so he could command them to hold back people’s forces when the time of his ‘leadership’ comes.

He took away her brother, father and mother, the good life that she was supposed to live in. Instead she grew up in an incubated tube, trained and changed to become a bionic. Then, he took Levi away from her. She could never forgive him, she knew she had to kill him.

She’ll make sure that sparing her was his worst mistake. She is not his strong tool, she will be his killer.

Her eyes shot open, glowing turquoise due to being riled up, the bright light above her not fazing her. She felt the surge of power overwhelming her body, she clenched her fists and pulled the restraints hard even if it stung her.

An alarm sounded, indicating that she was trying to escape. “Just you wait Zeke, I’ll make you pay” she thought.

“Warning! Warning! Restraints at maximum capacity!” The computer from her right sounded, she hated its sound, generic and lifeless like how Zeke made her to be.

“Ah you’re awake” Zeke entered the room, just in time as she woke up and arisen from her bed to attack him.

She spun and tried to punch him, but he caught her first right away and strangled her at the neck with his arm. She couldn’t escape him, her oxygen beginning to be cut off, she struggled from his touch, but she couldn’t get herself out.

“Stop squirming will you? You are giving us a hard time my beloved strongest bionic” he was mocking her, and she hated it.

“I! Am never yours in the first place you god damn mother fucker” she spat, trying to twist and turn with all her might, but his grip won’t budge out.

“Yes, yes I know that. But I can bend you to my will, I did it before, I can do it again” he laughed, and she saw the sparkle of silver coming from his free hand.

Her eyes widened in fear, using the last of her strength to try and get away.

“No!” she screamed. She can’t let him, she’d be reset again, she’d forget her progress, she’d forget Levi. She can’t, she just can’t. “Stop it!” she cried, remembering all the things she and Levi went through. Isn’t it enough for Zeke that he took away her biological family? Now he’s going to take away the man she loves away from her mind.

Zeke Jaeger, the man was really ruthless. She felt herself falling into deep slumber again, as the viscous fluid entered her system through her arm.

**—Levi—**

“Hanji Zoe” the name kept ringing in his head, despite the darkness that surrounded him. He now knew her real name, she wasn’t Abigail or Abby, she had a much more beautiful name, Hanji Zoe.

“Levi, Levi hey!” he fluttered his eyes open, Mike and Erwin staring at him concerned. He sat up from his previous laying position on a soft comfortable couch. He held his head with his hand, feeling dizzy at his sudden movement. Mike came to his aid, even if the giant man was an asshole, he knew how to care for his comrades at tight times like these.

“What happened?” he asked the two men right away, remembering nothing else but Hanji’s name before blacking out.

“Abby had sent a signal to Jean so we came to your aid. We saw you on the ground with another bionic who was out cold. To be honest we thought you were dead too, thank God you aren’t” Mike sighed out.

“And Hanji?” the two men looked at him confused. He had forgotten that they don’t know her real name yet. “Abby, her real name is Hanji Zoe” Erwin’s eyes widened, in shock. “Why?” he asked to commander.

“The Zoe family? Are you certain of it Levi?” he nodded, he could never forget it. “They died in a terrible accident in a fire years ago Levi, there were no survivors. Among the household was their maid, Carla Jaeger, the Lord Augustus Zoe, his son Frederick Zoe, wife Cornelia Zoe, and youngest child, Hanji Zoe”

So that was why Hanji seemed to fit well with balls and parties, wearing a gown and prim and proper. That was why she knew how to play the viola, and probably where she picked up the lullaby she sung in her sleep. It all made sense to him now, she was supposed to be a dutchess.

“Sir, I heard my mother’s name” a recruit who was new to him came closer and into their conversation.

“Yes Eren, your case may be connected to this” Erwin had let the young man get into the conversation. “And we will need full cooperation of all the corps on this mission. We’re going on full force”

“But what about the bionics? They could be controlled?” Levi asked.

“They have gone away at the same time Hanji sent us the signal, Oriana had run off to somewhere while we were preparing to rescue you” Mike rubbed the bridge of his nose.

And so he knew, he was to save all the girls that Zeke Jaeger had made into tools and try to restore their humanity. Take vengeance for those who died in this battle, and get back the woman he loves.

“Wait for me Hanji” he whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter after this and then FINALE!


End file.
